


Till Kingdom Come

by denabcitadel



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/F, Fantasy, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-30
Updated: 2014-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-30 22:18:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 67,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1024033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denabcitadel/pseuds/denabcitadel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU- The moment Regina and Emma meet at Mr. Gold's wedding they knew that being together was inevitable but love isn't simple, especially when your married to someone else. How far are you willing to go to be with the one you love? *Regina fights for Emma, Might need tissues*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Till kingdom come…

I.  
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"Honestly Daniel, do I really need to be there?" the brunette huffs as she puts on her earrings.

Daniel laughs and stands behind his wife his hands rest on her shoulders slowly massaging them. "Please Regina, We're going to support Neal. He's my best friend. I promised we would go. Plus his father is my boss." He leans in and kisses the back of her neck.

"Well both of them are morons. I feel sorry for that poor girl. Marrying Gold…." She shivers thinking about the old man.

"Hey…he may not be the most charming man but everyone deserves a second chance at love." He turns Regina into his arms. "Please just try. Plus Neal is bringing his girlfriend, I hear she might be the one."A

"Yeah of this month." She rolls her eyes in annoyance.

Daniel's head falls back as he laughs. "You truly are evil woman. I've been friends with him since we were kids. I would think by now you would at least tolerate him! He was my best man for god sakes!"

"Please he is reckless and immature. You almost got arrest because of him and his phase with criminal activities. I will bite my tongue for tonight. After all this is a wedding." She leans in and kisses him.

"That's the spirit." He says smiling against her lips.

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They say that we have more than one love in our life time; our first love, an in between love and our true love. The first one is given when the world isn't completely understood, when hormones and infatuation are at an all-time high, most of the time it's written off as puppy love but most of the time it's lost. A brief moment that will always leave us wanting, it's our introduction to the complexities of love, sometimes it even leaves us broken. The second finds you when you find a sense of self, they help you and support you it feels right but then there is that kind of love that takes you by surprise. The one that makes you do things you never thought possible. It's instant and gritty and devours you whole. It's the greatest kind of love. The one that turns into epic stories that live on forever.

Now if you asked Regina who is her true love she would automatically respond with Daniel. He is a kind man and always brought the best of her out. Regina didn't grow up with the perfect parents. Love and affection was given by the nannies her mother would hire. She would come home excited about an A she received on a test to an empty house. The help were her friends and confidants. Her father Henry always kissed her goodnight and they would have tea parties when he was home from work. He was her best friend and when he passed away when she was eleven; it left a hole inside her.

Her mother Cora cared for her child but knew that structure and discipline were the tools needed to rear a child. She knew that Regina had the potential of being great. When Henry passed, gone was the childhood wonder and innocence that drench her chocolate eyes. His passing allowed an opening to be the apple of her eye and Cora would selfishly take it because his death made her daughter vulnerable and more pliable, she clung to her only parent left.

Regina had only been with two people and one of them she married. Daniel and his kind eyes came at a time when Regina was free in college. She was enchanted by the liberal ideals and politics. She was enraptured by the freedom one has, the opportunity to find where your talents lay. Of course even in college Cora had made the decision for her, Law School. She would not allow her daughter to pursue in her passion, Art. Regina was an avid painter.

Daniel found her along the trail behind the dorms, painting. He instantly fell in love with Regina's beauty, her long brown curls and olive skin. He needed to talk to her allured like a moth to a flame. Conditioned by Cora, the young brunette's demeanor was always like a rattle snake. Sharp eyes locked on her target ready to strike, always on the defense, never trusting. His soft voice calmed her and after her assessment that he would not cause her harm, she allowed him in. He saw her for who she was. He understood her temper and enjoyed it. He was the first person she laughed with. She felt like she actually did something right when her mother approved him. He came from money and was also in law. Everything after that seem to fall in place. They settled back to his childhood home, a small town in Maine, he was the business attorney for Mr. Gold. Regina found her place there too, her need for control found her a position as the Mayor of the small town. Things were as they should be. Or so she thought.

Gold's wedding to Belle French turned out to be a big affair. Most of the town was invited but it was in support of their beloved librarian. Even though Gold was looked at as a monster with his ruthless politics there was something about Belle that made him soft around the edges. Looks as though love can do wonders to even the darkest souls.

Regina stood next to Daniel for the most part of the night but they would leave each other's side to mingle. Daniel would talk to business associates and Regina to the citizens of her town. Regina weaved her way through the crowd trying desperately to get a drink. She grabbed the glass of champagne and quickly downed it. Her patience was wearing thin, she was tired and her heels were killing her. She was ready to tell Daniel that she wanted to leave, she had a budget meeting in the morning she couldn't be late for. Who even has a wedding on a Sunday?

"Weddings aren't your thing either?" said an amused voice behind her.

Regina downs the second glass and turns around. The liquid sliding down her throat decides to go down the wrong pipe and the brunette's body is racked in a fit of coughs. The young woman moves closer and pats her back.

"Are you ok?"

Regina's body tenses at the woman's touch and she moves away as she takes a few deep breaths and swallows thickly. "Yes. I'm fine just went down the wrong pipe." Her voice was deep and throaty.

The blonde grins and reaches for a glass of water. Their fingers touch as the woman hands Regina the glass and instantly the brunette feels sparks throughout her body. Eyes look up to meet with green irises bursting with gold displaying the same awe and wonder. The paler woman's chest rises and falls quickly. She licks her lips. "Have I met you before?" she asks with a fond recognition in her eyes.

"If we have… I would have remembered." Regina whispers in a tone that even surprises her. The blonde's lips twitch upward in a smile and Regina finds herself wanting to always be on the receiving end of those lips.

"Regina!" Daniel's voice snaps her out of her daze. She shakes her head trying to remove the fog that surrounded her. She realizes that they were just standing there staring at each other. Regina see's Daniel and Neal walking over; she quickly schools her features and smile at the men approaching.

"There you are Ems. I seriously need a leash on you sometimes." Neal says laughing as he walks closer to the blonde. Regina's insides recoil as Neal wraps an arm over the blonde's shoulder. The twinkle in those green eyes fade when Daniel does the same.

"Emma Swan. This is Daniel Stables and his wife Regina." Neal introduces them to the younger woman. Daniel shakes her hand first. "It's a pleasure to meet you Emma. You must be very special if Neal brought you back here." He hints in amusement. Neal and Emma look at each other and smile as his arm pulls the blonde closer making Regina react by extending her hand quickly. "It's nice to meet you Ms. Swan."

"Please. Call me Emma…" the blonde's hand slips into Regina's reconfirming that the sparks felt before was not a fluke. Regina's mouth dries as her eyes devour Emma. She was wearing a tight red dress that looked like a second skin, showing off the contours of her lean body. Legs and calves that looked like they were sculpted by Michelangelo, she stood tall in black pumps.

Regina wasn't shy in her appreciation to the feminine form most of her favorite paintings show cased the beauty of a woman but there was something about Emma that turned her insides into mush. Made her mouth water with thirst. Made her want to pick up a brush and paint. Emma… this woman who she met mere moments ago was an enigma, a wonder and Regina wanted to know anything about the woman whose smile burns her skin. "Regina…." The blonde's voice washes over her. Her name never sounded any sweeter.

Seriously how long do they end up staring at each other again? Emma clears her throat and pulls back. Her cheeks are red and flushed. She leans back into Neal, needing to ground herself. "What is it you guys do here?"

"I work with Neal's Father and Regina is the Mayor."

Her brow raises "Wow. The Mayor. How old are you?" Emma asks completely mystified with the brunette.

Regina laughs taken back by the blonde's lack of tact "Now dear, a lady never reveals her age."

"I didn't mean to offend you… it's just… you look so young." She licks her lips as her eyes slip down to the brunette's body. Eyes look back up with hunger. Regina grabs another glass needing to do something with her mouth.

Daniel wraps his arm around his wife's waist. "Regina is being modest. She's 27 and the youngest mayor in Storybrooke history." His loving eyes look at Regina. He was truly proud of her. His touch fills her with guilt. Her behavior is inappropriate. She's married and she is looking at Emma like…like something that doesn't make sense in her mind. She needs to control whatever this is.

"Darling…?" she looks into his brown eyes. "I'm not feeling well can we go home?"

Yes Regina run away. That seems like the best solution!

Daniel looks at her and smiles "of course. Let me just say goodbye to everyone." He leans in and kisses her. Brown eyes meet with green and she swallows thickly. Emma looked like a mix of anger and hurt. Something that Regina wasn't…didn't want to read in to.

"Hey Regina. Me and Ems are staying the week here. Maybe we can all do lunch or dinner before we head back to Boston." Neal asks

"That sounds wonderful Neal. I have to check my schedule but I'll have Daniel call you with the details." She dismisses him quickly.

"See ya Regina" he awkwardly hugs her then walks over to Daniel who is saying goodbye to his boss.

"Do you really have to go?" Emma says in a shy whisper.

Regina was taken aback by the vulnerability in the woman's eyes. Her voice breaks as she says "yes. I…I have to go." Regrettably she looks towards Daniel needing the reminder that she needed to leave now.

However the mental battle that was waging internally with her body relented; needing to touch Emma again she extends her hand out again. "It was truly a pleasure to meet you, Emma." Emma smiles as her hand touches Regina. The younger woman pulls the brunette into a hug. The moment their bodies press against one another it fits like a puzzle piece. Emma smells like vanilla and cinnamon and Regina can't control herself as she breathes her in deeply. The tip of her nose caresses the neck of pale skin. Emma's breath hitches as the touch radiates. Overwhelmed Regina pulls away. What the hell is wrong with her? Acting like this in public with Daniel feet away!?

"Goodnight Ms. Swan." She nods at Emma and quickly walks away. Her body tenses as she hears her voice "Goodnight Madame Mayor."

That night Regina initiates sex with Daniel. Her kisses are roughs and needy. Eye lids clench tightly as her mind races with conflicting images. Grinding her hips rapidly to sate the need that the blonde left in her wake. After her body collapses in exhaustion, Daniel holds her from behind; his breath evens out against her skin in a peaceful sleep as Regina's body tenses. Eyes wide staring in to darkness all she can think about is green staring back.

==============================================================================================================

That dinner with Neal and Emma was avoided till the night before the couple was expected to leave.

For some reason Regina was slammed at work calling her in early in the morning and keeping her late into the evening. Daniel went out to dinner with Emma and Neal twice when she was unexpectedly pulled back in with emergency "Mayor Business". Really it was Regina avoiding the problem.

The morning after the wedding the only concrete thought in Regina's head was Emma Swan. Her green eyes that pierced deep inside her. The golden hair that she wanted to run her fingers through. Her thin pink lips what she craved to taste. Regina didn't even know she was attracted to the same sex. She never recognized any of the signs before.

No she wasn't bisexual.

She loves Daniel. She is attracted to Daniel. He satisfies her but Emma's lean body and tone arms looks like she could lift her and take her to heaven…

Regina squeezes her eyes shut. She needs to seriously get a grip. It's lust. People can be attracted to others while married to someone. It's only human. Right?

Saturday the office is closed and she couldn't avoid it any longer. Neal and Emma were coming over tonight and Regina's knees were permanently shaking. She cleaned the house from top to bottom, Went to the grocery store while Daniel went for a ride at the stables. She envied his calm demeanor but he wasn't the one attracted to his best friend's girl. She smiled and kissed him goodbye but her insides were screaming. It has to have been the alcohol. She had one glass too many. She tried to blame her behavior on anything else but nothing seems to make sense.

Regina wasn't the only one feeling like this, right? She saw the look in the woman's eyes. She felt her flinch in her arms. The tremble in her hands. This encounter must have taken them both by surprise.

The roast was in the oven, the table was set, and everything was perfect. She had 45 minutes left before Neal and Emma would arrive. She decides to get ready.

The cold shower pounded against her flushed skin, hoping to drown her thoughts she leans her head back. Her brown hair getting heavy by saturation. She thinks of what it would be like to press her lips against Emma's. The brunette's eyes squeeze tighter pleading for some release. Her skin burns and her insides throb. The need for the blonde is so consuming. In a moment of desperate weakness she gives in to her desires. Wet wrinkled fingers press against her aching sex. Thoughts of Emma fill her mind. She's lost all control. She pants heavily and whimpers as her arm burns, so close… the thought of green eyes looking up at her as her lips reach her sex… is too much of a visual and she explodes. Silently screaming, her legs tremble as she feels light headed. She plants her hands on the cold tiles and lets her head slump between her shoulders the cold water massages the tension on her neck.

What just happened? Regina jumps as she hears the bathroom door open.

"Hey baby. Mind if I join you?" Daniel knocks on the glass door with a mischievous grin. He tugs on his boxers and opens the door. "Whoa Regina, this water is freezing!" his body flinches at the droplets of water hitting his skin.

"I didn't notice." The brunette responds in a weak monotone as she turns her back to avoid looking in to his eyes. She just got herself off thinking of someone else. Guilt riddles her body. His touch makes her feel uncomfortable. "It's ok. I know a way to get warmed up." He moves closer pressing his body against her back. His lips kiss the crease of her neck but Regina moves away. "I'm done and I need to get ready for our guests."

"We have time…" Daniel tries to pull her back in to his arms. Regina's eyes flash him a look and he lets go with a sigh. "Really it's just Neal and Emma. There was no need to overdo it." He thinks about the formal dining room set up for what is supposed to be a causal dinner among friends.

"I could care less about your idiot of a friend" her voice snaps and she quickly stops and takes a breath as her eyes soften "But Ms. Swan is a guest and I feel awful for cancelling this whole week. It's my way of just making it up to them…"

He smiles at her. "Thank you"

She nods quickly and exits the bathroom.

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The moment she finishes putting on her lipstick the bell rings. Regina looks at herself in the mirror once more. "Daniel they're here!" she says as she crosses the foyer. Trembling hands open the door.

Fuck.

Emma is standing at the door in tight jeans with boots laced up to her knees. A black leather jacket cloaks her body and a black scarf is wrapped around her neck. Golden hair curl down in waves almost covering her chest. A shy grin paints her features. "Emma…" the brunette whispers in awe which makes the blonde smile even more. It ignites a feeling inside her that scares her to death.

"Hi Regina."

"Please come in." Regina opens the door wider and the blonde steps through. Closing the door its stopped with a thud. "ouf."

"Oh heavens Mr. Gold."

"Geez Regina what's with the formal greeting? I hate it when you call me that Mister Gold is father."

"I know." She sasses back. Neal gives her a look then rolls his eyes. Looking over to his girlfriend "Emma, babe why didn't you wait for me? You practically ran to the front door."

Regina's brow raises looking at the blonde with a crooked grin. Emma looks back at her, her pale face flushed red. "I was cold Neal. I don't know why you have that bug…it doesn't even have heat."

Regina laughs and looks back towards the stairs as she hears Daniel coming down the stairs. "Neal…Emma hey." He walks towards Neal and hugs him and moves towards Emma and kisses her on the cheek. "Hey Dan."

"What did you say to make my wife laugh so loud?"

"Oh Emma was just complaining about the bug."

"Oh that beauty? What happen now?"

"Do you want me to list it?" Emma asks and Regina nods enthusiastically. She was completely interested on what the blonde had to say "The brakes are shot, the radiator is broken, the radio is broken, the power steering pump is loose and something is wrong with the alternator. "the blonde says in annoyance as she counts on her fingers. The room is filled with silence. Regina is the first to crack wit honest giggles. "I'm sorry dear but that sounds like maybe its time to get a replacement."

"Please Lady has been around since I was a teen. We've gone through so many scraps and we survived."

"As much as I want to listen to Ms. Swan bash your heinous vehicle. We have a dinner to eat."

She walks towards Emma "May I take your coat."

The blonde nods and turns around so Regina can pull it off. Just as her fingers were to touch the precious skin Neal pushes her hands away. "Don't worry I got it." He grins and winks at the blonde. His callous hands touch Emma and the insides of Regina burn. She wanted to grab the thick scarf wrapped around his neck and pull tightly till he turns blue. She shakes the image out of her mind and looks at the regretful green eyes that shine with disappointment.

"Follow me." She turns quickly and heads to the dining room and the others follow after her.

The sight of pink lips pressing against the silverware, the disappearing and reappearing act of that fork left Regina feeling envy. All night she watched that mouth devour her food. The moans of delight emanating from the blonde made Regina squeeze her thighs a little tighter. God this woman is going to be the death of her.

"You're a bounty hunter!?" Regina gawks at this latest tidbit. The blonde shakes her head. "I use to be but I then I passed the academy and I'm a cop."

"impressive."

"Thank you."

"Neal tell Gina how you guys met."

" I hope she arrested you." Regina mutters to herself but notices that everyone else heard her too.

"Actually, I did." She blushes even more and they all break the silence and laugh.

Wiping the tears from her eyes "Why did you arrest him?"

"He wouldn't stop hitting on me in the bar. It was crowded and someone shoved him. I thought he was trying to grab and I arrested him." Emma nudges Neal with her shoulder.

Neal smiles at her then says "After we squared it as a misunderstanding. I asked her out again and this time she agreed and we've been dating ever since."

Regina's smile drops in to a thin line "Charming."

The evening dragged on. They talked and laughed. Emma seriously was a wonder. Beneath her stormy green eyes that Regina wanted to just get lost in. Emma was funny and smart. She kept up with Regina's comments and added to the conversation.

It was time for them to go. Neal and Daniel were near the front door talking about the trip back to Boston.

"I had a wonderful time Regina."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it."

After putting on her coat and adjusting her scarf. Emma says goodbye to Daniel first then turns to Regina. The brunette extends her hand but the blonde dismisses it. She licks her lips then leans in. pink lips presses on the corner of the Regina's mouth. The mayor takes a sharp breath in. "It was nice meeting you." The blonde whispers.

"Indeed it was. Have a safe trip."

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"Miss…MISS you can't go in there! She's on a business call!" the small red head shouts as she follows. The double doors to Regina's office burst open as Emma walks through the door. "Madame Mayor. I tried to stop her!" the red head says as she looks at her boss in horror as she watches the mayor holds her index finger up. "Yes thank you governor, I hope you have a great day sir." The brunette hangs the phone up.

The fierce gaze on the Mayor's face softens "No. It's ok Jean. Please hold my calls."

The smaller woman nods and rolls her eyes at the stranger who stands there with her arms crossed before she closes the door. Right after Regina hears the click of the door. "Good afternoon Ms. Swan. What are you doing here?"

"Please tell me you felt it?" Emma relaxes her arms as they hang between her body.

"Felt what dear?" brown eyes shift nervously.

"Us! Tell me you felt it too."

"I'm afraid to inform you that there is no us. I am married and you are with that idiot." Her voice raises thinking about Neal.

Emma's picks up the quiver in her voice. "Cut the crap Regina. I know you know."

"However fine-tuned your intuition is, I'm afraid this time you are wrong." She plants her hands on the desk and stands up. The brunette turns to look out the window.

"Really?" The cop's voices drops an octave that sends shivers down Regina's spine.

"Ye-" The brunette's words are cut short as the blonde turns her and pulls her in to a kiss. At first she does nothing by pure shock on how this situation escalated then when Emma's finger's thread into her hair, dull nails scratch her scalp at the same time as the blonde's tongue is swiped across her bottom lip…something snaps inside of Regina and she responds to the blonde in equal fashion. Chocolate eyes rolls back covered by lightly clenched eyelids Regina moan as the kiss deepens.

The passion of this kiss is ground breaking. It shatters Regina's knees as the blonde wraps her arms around her back pulling her against her body. Oh God. Emma is everywhere. The sensations that fill the brunette's body is like nothing she has ever felt. Like something was awaken inside of her. She was hyperaware of everything. The sounds of lips smacking against one another, heavy breathing through flared nostrils, small moans and whimpers as teeth bite and suck, the smell of vanilla and lilac. Emma pushes the mayor against the desk, her jean clad thigh presses in between Regina's legs raising the fabric of her skirt. Regina arches as her lips breaks the mind-blowing kiss to hang her head back. Fingers tangle into blonde curls pulling her against her neck. She hisses as Emma presses against her aching sex. How she wanted Emma to claim her. How this felt so right. The simple solution to an equation that's been plaguing her from the moment they met.

This body. These lips. Those hands, were meant to touch Regina, she was certain of it. The brunette gasps as the blonde bites the skin on her neck. What the hell is wrong with her? She's never lost control like this. She can't even mind over matter this situation. Her body wants Emma. Needs Emma and will continue until it has her. Regina pulls the blonde's hair cause the younger woman to moan. "You are truly exquisite." Her throat is deep and raw.

"You're not so bad yourself Madame Mayor." That comment is earned with a deep chuckle.

It's like a missing puzzle piece she didn't even know she lost. Her whole life was one manipulation and conditioning after another. Her mother dictated her future, kept the love she desperately wanted hidden away. Tamed her passion for Art. Daniel was the one free choice that her mother approved of. He was accepting. Daniel.

Oh fuck!

Regina painfully shoves the woman back.

"What the hell?!" Emma says in angry confusion.

Tan fingers touch her tingling lips. She shakes her head as tears fill her eyes. "We can't do this Emma. I'm married."

The thing about true love is that it never comes easily. The reason it makes an epic story is because true love over comes obstacles. It is fought for. You have to earn it, bleed for it, cry and ache for it because the moment you realize that this is your other half…you would do anything, absolutely anything to have it.

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A/N: Thoughts? Thank you for Reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Till kingdom come

A/N: I was completely blown away by the responses for the first chapter. You guys are absolutely amazing and your support helps. I'm really happy you like it. Many thanks to my beta Gemilh and AngelofLight for bouncing ideas with. Enjoy.

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II.

"What the hell?!" Emma says in angry confusion.

Tan fingers touch her tingling lips. She shakes her head as tears fill her eyes. "We can't do this Emma. I'm married." The mayor stumbles back a little.

The moment the words leave Regina's lips she knew she would regret it. The burning hope that shined in Emma's eyes faded. She felt like she broke this woman's spirit and it left a horrible ache in her heart. Regina moves forward to touch the blonde but the woman flinches and takes a step back.

"Don't." the blonde warns pointing at her. "I want you and if you touch me…"her voice wavers as she moves another step back.

"It's not that simple Emma…we have responsibilities to our respected partners. I made a vow…" she presses her hand against her chest feeling her heart beat wildly underneath her skin.

"He is not my…" Emma starts to say in a broken whisper. "He's just someone there... I was lonely and he was so persistent but if I never gave him a shot…then… we would never…." She trails off to look at anything in the office other than the brunette's face that she knows will break her resolve.

"As much as I am delighted to hear that because truly I am. Him touching yo-… " she stops the sneer forming and takes a second to collect her thoughts. "Look Emma. Daniel… He's my husband."

"But you feel it don't you?" she turns looking into those chocolate eyes and steps closer placing her hands to cup Regina's cheek. "Please tell me I'm not making this up…" Tears fall from her eyes and Regina finds her simply beautiful.

Regina takes a sharp breath in and closes her eyes. "Yes…I feel it too." Brown eyes open up and shed a few tears. She looks deeply into sun burst green irises. Emma's eyes float up and down. Her breathing increases. The need to connect them again is so great. Slowly she pulls Regina forward and stops until their lips are millimeters away. Regina whimpers when Emma rubs the tip of her nose against Regina's "Does he make you feel like this?" Emma asks in a low sultry voice her eyes stare at the slit on the brunette's lip. She swallows thickly and licks her lips, their breathing picks up.

Regina's response is answered by cupping the back of Emma's head and pressing their lips together. There was no denying this. She felt like an addict and her drug was Emma Swan.  
=============================================================================================================

Two Months Later….

Affairs are chaotic and scary but also exhilarating. You lose yourself in carnal desires (and in this case just kissing and some heavy grinding). You feel reawaken by the attention of this new lover. Everything becomes thrilling and more vibrant. You discover things about yourself that was lost in the ether by routine. Sometimes you feel unappreciated and crave the attention but that is not what Regina was feeling. Daniel was the perfect husband. The perfect partner. The perfect friend. He looked at Regina like she was the very stars that shined every night. He talked to her about everything and anything. He encouraged her and supported her, he was attentive and just such a good person. Rarely did they fight. All he wanted was to make her happy but Regina wasn't happy because Daniel wasn't the blonde.

Emma changed something in her. Made her realize that she was empty; It baffled her and terrified her. A stranger walks into her life and disrupts everything and because she is trapped, because she has responsibilities it made her feel like a caged bird. The downside to an affair is the guilt, the lying and the betrayal that comes along. The moment the bliss wares off and reality hits and it breaks you.

Regina was taught at an early age that love is weakness. This was a constant lesson her mother drilled in to her conscious. In order to get ahead one's emotions must be put on the back burner. Regina became a woman of logic. Her mind created planned, rationalized things. The easy thing about Daniel was that she didn't have to feel with Daniel. Rationally he made sense. He never pulled this deep emotional response out of her. Which is why Emma was such a surprise, she pulled emotions out of her that she didn't think existed. She made her body react in ways that felt unnatural and Regina's body isn't in control, her mind is!

Regina started to go to sleep later than Daniel because she couldn't fall asleep in his arms. Everything about them felt wrong. The walls of their home were slowly suffocating her. She felt horrible when he would come home happy to see her but she would turn away not noticing the fall in his face. He knew something was wrong but he trusted in their relationship that Regina would tell him if something was wrong.

When you build a life with someone it becomes extremely difficult to walk away. The tangible pieces of yourself fade in to theirs.

Regina played the scenarios in her mind on how she could do it but she was bound by laws and obligation. She needed to be rational about the situation. You can't just throw your entire life away for a feeling. Her mother said that love is weakness and right now Emma was making her weak. Emotionally, physically and mentally weak; she couldn't eat. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't function. Emma left and it was making her sick.

She wants Emma that's for certain but she doesn't want to leave Daniel. She couldn't hurt him like this. He did nothing wrong but is it selfish to stay with someone you don't love or is it selfish to hurt them to be with someone else, someone you feel like you can't survive without?

Regina laughs to herself because she knows absolutely nothing about the Blonde. She knows that she used to be a bounty hunter and that she is a cop for the Boston Police, she lives in Boston and that she's 26. She doesn't know anything important like her goals or dreams. What was her childhood like? What does she like for breakfast? Did she go to college? What makes her angry? Does she want children? Can she be trusted?

What are the probabilities of a successful relationship if it started out of lies and infidelity? What would her mother say? What would she do? There were so many possible outcomes if she leaves but she knows what would happen if she stayed.

She will wonder what if?

And that simple question. What if? It's so dangerous. What if I could be happier? What if this can be more? What if I stay and end up in a loveless miserable marriage? What if he isn't my ending? What if there is more to life than this? What if?

Emma created questions.

Daniel never made her question if she wanted something more and she doesn't know if it was because she was content or she didn't think that there was anything else to live for.

But she will know that the missing piece of herself was out there living without her. She was tired of settling. Tired of taking the easy road. She needed to know if Emma felt the same. Of course she knew that Emma felt the same and after what happened in her office. Emma left her card and walked out. Like she gave Regina a preview of happiness, a taste, a fucking tease, she left Regina's lips tingling with what she tasted like. A taste she couldn't get out of her mind.

Regina looked at that card every day for hours for the past 2 months, Sergeant Emma Swan. She was terrified that if she heard Emma's voice she would lose herself again. Regina was a woman of order and practicality, a woman of logic and rationality and everything about this situation wasn't her. She needed to know if it was still there. She needed to see Emma.

She needed to figure out what if…

This of course was a very bad idea.  
============================================================================================================

"Hey darling how was the flight?"

"Not bad. I'm just pulling into the hotel."

"Ok I'm meeting with Neal later for dinner. He came back up here for the weekend. He sounded pretty messed up."

"I'm sorry to hear that…" The brunette says with a disinterested voice as she rolls her eyes.

"Stop being mean." He cuts her off laughing "I know you don't care about Neal."

"Indeed I will not deny that." That earns her a soft chuckle. "Please whatever mess you make please clean it up before I get home."

"I promise. This time we'll order out."

"Good."

There's silence for a second "hey get me a pair of cowboy boots."

"Please you couldn't pull off the look Daniel."

He chuckles some more "You're right. Just don't tan too much. I hear the sun is brutal in Texas this time of year. "

"I doubt I will have time. The resources summit will be during the day. I am not looking forward to being in the room with gray middle aged men…again."

"Hey it's the perks of being the Mayor."

"Did I mention I hate the governor?"

"haha. Yes all the time. Try to have fun love. Maybe go to the spa. You've seem down these past couple of weeks. I've missed you."

"Daniel…."

"No its ok. Sometimes we just need a break and I love you. Just be careful and come home to me."

"I have to go. I'm about to check in."

"Ok call me tonight. I love you."

"Me too." Regina quickly hangs up and places her phone in her purse. She looks both ways before crossing the street. She takes a deep breath gathering all her courage and walks into the prescient building.  
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The 38th prescient was loud and busy. Men and woman in uniforms walking around to business as usual, people in handcuffs being pulled in to back rooms. Regina walks up to the front desk. This old overweight man sits there. His breathing was heavy and rattling like Jabba's last moments before his death.

"Can I help you?" his voice was thick with a Boston accent.

"I am looking for Sergeant Emma Swan?"

"The sergeant?" his head turns to the side "Ey Mickie Where's Swan?!" he shouts and the brunette rolls her eyes, why is this man still in service?

"She's out on patrol with Meyers!" the man calls back.

The officer turns back to face the brunette. "She's out on patrol with Meyers." He says that like the woman understands.

"Do you know when she will return?" she asked with an annoyed tone.

"Nah. If ya want I'd take a message?" his breathing gets heavier as he moves to grab the pen.

"No that's quite alright I wouldn't want you to work any harder than you've become accustomed to." She says with a false smile. She quickly turns and walks out, the sounds of her heels clicking on the linoleum mixes with the sounds of phones ringing.

Regina walks back to her hotel. Ok so that wasn't successful. She thought by now they would meet and Regina would have the validation she needed to go back home to Daniel. She slips off her heels and pads over on the soft rug into the bathroom.

She'll take a bath, have some dinner and try again tomorrow.

Regina sinks in to the hot water, a sigh of relief escapes her lips. She feels the tension slowly escape her body. She finally has a moment to think about this…she lied to Daniel. She's in Boston. What would she even say to the blonde if they did meet? She made a snap decision and this is the first moment she is taking account of her actions. She is fucked. She wasn't thinking at all when she switched her ticket from Dallas to Boston. All she knew was she had an opportunity and she took it. The tension started to return as well as the anxious butterflies fluttering in her belly. Oh god. She sits up abruptly sending water slashing on the tiled floor.

She needs a drink. The mayor gets out of the tub and gets dressed. She puts on her red pencil skirt white silk blouse and black heels she arrived in, she didn't have any causal clothes because she was supposed to be at the resources summit. She closes' her eyes tightly. She seriously didn't plan this through.

Regina sits at the bar in the dive she found a few blocks down from her hotel. The bar in the hotel looked too sophisticated and she was not in the mood to be approached as a high end escort. She wanted something dark and grungy because she felt like her behavior was only reserved for those lurking in the darkness.

"What can I get ya?" the bartender asks as he wipes the bar down with a rag.

"Whiskey sour." Regina responds as she opens her wallet and places a twenty on the counter.

"Coming up." He takes the bill and returns with her change and drink.

She sips on her straw as she looks around the bar. It was dark but a decent size. Sports memorabilia riddled all along the walls. Flat screen TV's displaying whatever sport was in season. There were pool tables at the other end. It was pretty filled for a Thursday night not like Regina would know what a bar occupancy would normally be for a bar in down town Boston. She sighs as she knocks back the rest of her drink. She taps the bar asking for another. She grabs her purse and heads to the bathroom.

After she washes her hands she looks at herself in the mirror. What are you doing? She asks herself. This is the most spontaneous thing she has ever done. She rests her hands on the sink, taking slow deep breaths. This is crazy. She's going to finish her drink and head back to her hotel, sleep and leave. Coming to Boston was a bad idea. Two months passed and Emma was probably ready to marry Neal. She sneers at the thought but Emma wasn't hers and they weren't anything but why hasn't she allowed Daniel to touch her since the blonde left? She shakes her head and she steps back out. The room was filled with more people. She maneuvers her way back to her spot at the bar.

"It's been like over two months. I thought she would call." The voice makes Regina stop dead in her tracks. She looks around unable to notice the face with the voice that made her heart pound faster.

"You said she was married Em." Regina turns to the man's voice.

"I know and fuck I never should have kissed her but David…if you would see this woman. Like seriously. It's so wrong how beautiful she is." Emma's voice was soft but full of sadness that it made Regina's feet move closer to the voices. Whatever Emma was feeling, she wanted to alleviate it.

"You know I was completely thrown off when you said you broke up with that Neal guy because you met a girl at his father's wedding. Talk about an ego crusher." The dark blonde hair man next to her laughs.

"I never meant to hurt him and I was starting to think that maybe he would be enough you know? But the moment I saw her. I knew." Regina watches Emma take a shot back. "I knew that I had to talk to her, make her smile. Like something was pulling me beyond myself and I couldn't control it. I didn't even know I was attracted to women!" she says exasperatedly.

"Hey it's ok" David places a supportive hand on her shoulder. "Sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants, that's how I felt for Mary Margaret." Emma's partner smiles at the blonde.

"But she didn't call me." The blonde pouts at her friend.

"Emma I bet it wasn't simple for her. She's married. She has a life with someone. Neal was just a boyfriend and from what you told me not that serious, you guys didn't have things together. They have a life together." He tries to reason with the blonde. She gives him a look and he shuts up.

"I guess it was for the best." She says in defeat as she lifts the bottle to her lips.

Here is your moment idiot. This is what you wanted. You have the validation you need now walk away! Regina's mind yells at her but her feet are cemented to the ground. She found her. Emma the beautiful blonde is sitting a few feet away from her. Her back was turned she wore that black leather jacket that was burned into her memory. The long blonde hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. She looked so sexy from behind. Fuck. Turn away! She will never know!

At the moment her mind finally gains control with her motor functions the blonde turn her head.

Regina wanted to laugh at Emma's double take. It was a bit comical. Their eyes meet and it feels like the room silences to nothing. The only sounds are of heavy breathing and pounding hearts.

"Regina…." The blonde whispers

Yeah. This was a very bad idea.  
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"Governor White speaking."

"Hello dearest how are you this evening?"

"I'm doing very well. Got into Dallas a few hours ago."

"How's the weather?"

"Hot as hell."

"I can only imagine… have you seen my daughter yet?"

"No I have not but usually I see her before the meeting starts, so that will be tomorrow morning, Why?"

"No reason. I'm just wondering. She hasn't called me yet."

"Cora…we all know that your daughter doesn't like you. So why do you expect her to call you?" the man laughs at his own humor

"Yes. Well. I wish she would just learn that all I did was because I wanted what was best for her…"

"Like making her marry my nephew was what was best for her?"

"Daniel was a necessary evil. She went to college and thought she can continue with that Art nonsense. I was losing her and she needed someone to waste her excess energy on. He was the right choice and I didn't make her, she said yes."

"Manipulation is a form of control you know?"

"My daughter is a smart woman but she was always weak at heart. She just needs some guidance."

"Sure sure. Cora hold on." The phone shifts as the voices become muffled "Hello Cora. Steve just informed me that Regina's plane landed but your daughter was not on the plane."

"Oh really?" she says intrigued

"Do you want me to look into it?"

"No dear, thank you for the offer. I will find out myself."

"Very well. You'll let me know what happens?"

"Yes of course. Good night Dear." The older woman hangs up the phone. Who would have thought that her lover, Leo White would make such a good partner? His greed and hunger for power were what attracted her to him. They met at her husband's funeral. Old partners at the firm. He understood Cora's need for control and helped her with what she needed. Control over her daughter.

Regina had a trust fund, a very substantial trust. Something that her father, Henry did for her. He knew that Regina loved art and also knew that sometimes the life of an Artist was a struggle. He created a trust so that if she does pursue art she wouldn't be starving. This was all written in his will. Regina of course didn't know about this. Cora needed to keep her daughter preoccupied until she turned 30 because after that time the value of the trust would accumulate to 4 million dollars. She needed to make sure nothing happens to her daughter that's why she keeps her on a leash.

Just a few more years. Regina needed to be alive for a few more years then she will go quietly like Henry.

Every one leaves a paper trail and Regina's had her located in Boston. What was her daughter doing there?

It's funny they say that love conquers all but what if something or someone stands in the way? What if the course set out by destiny is interrupted by forces beyond your control? What if the choices we make to seal our fate was never our choices to begin with?

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A/N: And the plot thickens...*pauses for dramatic effect* (dun dun dahhh!) Thoughts, Please...?


	3. Chapter 3

Till Kingdom Come

A/N: Did I ever mention that I think you guys are fricken AWESOME?! Thank you for the favorites and reviews, some of you asked some really great questions. I swear they help, so keep them coming! Thank you to Gemilh and AngelofLight who are making the idea of this fic thrive.

III.

There are moments in your life when things are seen in perfect clarity; some say it's the last few moments before you take your last breath or the birth of your child and even when you fall in love. It flashes and plays all before you in a perfect mosaic of good and bad moments leading to this and right now standing before the blonde will be counted as a good, a very good moment. The smile that cracks her face warms Regina's entire body up. Her smile is wide and eyes' shining with unshed tears and in that moment the mayor knows that whatever consequences are to arise from this, then so be it.

It's like her body was set on autopilot because her feet started moving before her mind could recognize that the blonde was floating closer to her. Emma moves in equal fashion until they are inches away.

"What are you doing here?" she asks in a surprised awe.

"I had to come." The brunette answers simply.

"How did you find me?"

"I didn't. I stopped by your job earlier but you were out. I just came here to have a drink" Regina says finding the need to overshare.

"Maybe it was fate?" the blonde suggests hopefully.

"Maybe it was." Regina licks her lips. "I …." Words fall short for moments like this. The conversations you have in your head trying to predict what they would say then what you would say then repeat but of course things don't go as planned because you have no idea what goes on in their mind. The sensations they educe; Hands sweat and shake. Knees tremble. Your heart accelerates. Your throat gets dry. Where do you even start…?

"Meyers!" Emma says loudly knowing she needed to fix the awkward moment, she turns to her partner. The dirty blonde who was looking at Regina with a contemplative glare smiles at Emma he stands up and walks closer to them. "David Meyers this is Regina Stables"

"Mills."

"I'm sorry?" the sergeant asks

"Regina Mills. I never changed my name."

"That doesn't really surprise me," David said as he shook Regina's hand. "You seem like the type of woman that wouldn't conform to that particular society norm."

"Are you calling me a feminist Mr. Meyers?" Regina said with a raised eyebrow. She wasn't quite sure how to take that statement.

"I would describe you more as an independent, modern woman." David said with a sincere smile ignoring Emma's wide eyed stare from his side.

"Well, I must admit that not only have you been correct in your assessment, but you've also mastered the art of turning stupid remarks into compliments." Regina retorted with a small smile of her own. She liked David. He seemed to be a very genuine person and he possessed a similar presence to Emma. She liked that they were partners.

"Okay since that's out of the way, why don't you join us for drinks Regina?" Emma spoke up, drawing Regina's focus back to the blonde. She seemed to be trying to contain her excitement as she grabbed Regina's hand and lead her to the bar. Immediate jolts of electricity flowed from the blonde's finger tips into Regina's arm and they both tried to suppress their reactions. Eyes shift nervously as lips fissure shy smiles.

After taking a seat and ordering a new round of beverages David took control of the conversation since Emma seemed perfectly content to merely stare in wonder at the dark haired beauty sitting next to her. David could see why Emma was attracted to the brunette, she was definitely beautiful, and the chemistry between them could be felt across the room. Regina seemed just as entranced by the blonde, but was putting up more of an effort to disguise her feelings. He asked Regina about her life in Storybrooke, what it was like to be mayor, about her family, what her interests were, and finally after Emma retreated to the restroom, what her intentions were with the blonde.

"Excuse me?" Regina asked once again raising her eyebrow. Obviously brazenness was something else the blondes had in common.

"What are your intentions where Emma is concerned? I'm sorry, I know that I am being a bit audacious but that girl has been through enough in her life. I have never seen her like this… so open with a person in all of the years that I've known her. It takes a lot for Emma to trust, and she seems to trust you completely. Not to mention how fast you were able to overcome the walls she's built around herself and maybe you just don't know enough…" David ran a hand through his hair with a sigh as if trying to organize his thoughts. "I guess what I'm trying to say is be careful with her. Emma may seem tough as nails, but she cares more than she lets on. She deserves to be treated special. She deserves to be someone's whole world and I just don't want to see her get caught up in a situation where a person doesn't care about her as much as she cares about them." He finished his little speech with a pointed stare.

Regina sat silently for a moment or two to process what David had expressed to her. Could she be that person? Could she be the one to treat the blonde the way she deserved to be treated? Emma had been the only spot of light in her entire shadow tinted life. She made her question things that never crossed her mind before. She doesn't know Emma doesn't know her history. She doesn't know her pain but if her presence created that smile that made her feel alive than she sure as hell would fight to make sure that Emma continued to shine as bright as the moon in her life of perpetual darkness.

"Rest assured David," the brunette said carefully. "Our goals are the same. You have nothing to fear from me because we want the same thing." She responds with full sincerity because in all honesty she wants nothing more than that girl's happiness and oddly enough she knows that that intersects.

The male across from her let out an inaudible sigh and leaned back in his chair as if a heavy burden had been relieved of him. David flashed her the same easy going smile as before as Emma came back from the restroom.

"Why do I feel like I missed something?" She asked as she took her seat next to Regina again, pressing her thigh against the brunette's.

"Don't worry Ms. Swan, you didn't miss a thing." Regina assured.

"Yeah?" the blonde looks between her partner and the brunette.

"Absolutely kid." David grins as he stretches then looking at his watch "look at the time. Mary Margaret is going to kill me… again" he stands up from the stool and grabs his jacket.

Emma stands as well. "Blame it on me again. She loves me and always lets it slide."

"Yeah you're my get out of jail free card."

"I can't help it, it's my natural charm." She grins and Regina smiles between the two because they were pretty great together. She couldn't see this carefree side of Emma in Storybrooke. She didn't notice the natural charisma and wittiness the blonde exuded.

David turns to Regina. "It was really nice to finally meet you after this one never shuts up about you during our patrols" he jerks his thumb over to point at Emma.

"I hope I lived up to the hype?" She doesn't understand why she suddenly needed this man's approval but then David nods enthusiastically making the brunette smile wildly "then at least you had something interesting to talk about as oppose to eating donuts and drinking coffee." She winks.

"Common misconception I would love to say but Emma has a Bear Claw every morning."

"Meyers!" Emma says as her cheeks blush crimson.

"Does she now?" she raises her brow as her eyes sweep over Emma's body. Her tank top and skinny jeans really left no room to the imagination. Emma notices quickly and her confidence returns tenfold. Regina clears her throat as the blonde looks at her with a knowing grin.

David laughs and pats Emma's back. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Emma shrugs and nervously rubs the back of her neck. "Eh. I might be sick….?" She looks over to Regina who blushes and Emma gives a poor impression of a cough.

"Well in that case, see you Monday and don't forget to call me." He points at Emma and she nods knowingly.

"Will do" she salutes him as he walks away.

The moment David leaves the tension builds now they were alone and the buffer that David's presence created was gone. Now the feelings that they pushed down came back full force.

"David-"

"do-"

They both say at the same time. They nervously laugh.

"Go ahead." Emma says first.

"No I was just going to say that Mr. Meyers is a very nice man. I can see why he would make a great partner."

"Yeah we've been through some tough scraps together." She smiles sweetly thinking about the man. He really was something like an older brother to her.

"How long have you been partners?"

"Four years since I started the force. I was a rookie and he showed me the ropes. We just clicked and I trust him with my life. I don't trust easily." The blonde admits

"So I've heard…" the brunette mutters

"He did say something!" Emma excitedly accuses.

Regina rolls her eyes before she smiles "Mr. Meyers was only being noble and asked me what my intentions were."

Emma's eyes darken a shade "And what are your intentions with me?" She looks at the brunette's lips thinking about the last time they were pressed against hers.

Regina licks her lips "I haven't decided yet…"

Emma grins as she stands up; she knocks her shot back and extends a hand to Regina. The brunette gives her a questioning look. The blonde wiggles her fingers and Regina relents and places her hand into the blondes. Emma pulls her to her feet.

"Where are we going?"

Emma gives her the sexiest look that she has ever seen. "My place."  
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Fuck me. She rides a motorcycle. Regina thinks as she walks out into the chilly night following the blonde to the black two wheeled contraption. "I'm surprised Ms. Swan."

"What that I ride a motorcycle?"

"No… the motorcycle, the jacket, the boots, the gun and you didn't notice that you were attracted to women."

"I'm not attracted to women. I am to a woman." she turns around and takes off her jacket and places it over the brunette's shoulders. "It's going to be chilly."

"And what about you?" Regina asks as she slides her arms through the sleeves. She pulls one of the laps of the jacket and covers her nose and takes a deep breath in. She smells of cinnamon and gasoline. Emma smiles as she zips up the jacket; Regina lifts her chin to avoid it getting caught. Emma leans into her ear "I'll have your arms to keep me warm." She pulls back with a smile that fills Regina with unadulterated joy.

"The more this night goes on the more I don't regret my decision to be here."

"Where were you supposed to be?"

"A conference in Dallas."

"Does Dan- your…." Her words fall short feeling extremely uncomfortable acknowledging the big white elephant in the room.

"No. It was kind of a last minute spontaneous kind of thing."

Emma smiles at her and grabs her helmet. She places it on Regina's head and fastens the clasp. Regina adjusted the helmet "How do I look?" The mayor asks as she opens her arms and turns around. The blonde whistles as she gives the woman an amused grin. "Hot."

Regina laughs and playfully shoves the younger woman. Emma grins and gets on the bike. She turns it on as it roars in to life, she pumps the throttle making the bike give a nice vroom vroom. Regina just watches the blonde in awe. She was in her element and she found every bit of her remarkably beautiful. The blonde looks at her asking 'are you ready?' Taking a deep breath Regina sits behind the blonde her skirt rises up her thighs as she molds herself to the blonde's body she snakes her arms around the officer's waist.

"Have you ever done this before?" Emma asks as she kicks the kickstand rolling the bike forward.

"No."

"Well you're safe with me."

"I know. I trust you." Regina admits as she rests her chin on the blonde's shoulder. This is how things should be; Regina sitting behind Emma holding her as she leads them on another adventure. Their bodies mold in perfection and it's unreal how safe she feels holding the younger woman.

Emma smiles warmly as Regina hold on to her tightly and releases the clutch. "Hold on."  
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Walking up the steps to Emma's apartment was nerve racking. So many things could happen behind those doors. Countless hours were spent by both women day dreaming of what a second chance could be. Regina notices the blonde's confidence falter as her hands tremble sliding the keys in the lock. Emma opens the door wide and Regina steps in. The loft was big and spacious with big windows overlooking the city. The bedroom was separated by two big book shelves filled to the brim with books. Regina gives the blonde an impressed look. The bed was placed against the brick wall. Case files lay on the coffee table. Multiple leather jackets hang from the coat rack. It's simple and clean.

"You have a lovely home Emma."

"Yeah I use to think so…" she looks around her apartment

"Why use to?" she ask in wonder.

"Well they say that home is where the heart is and this place never felt like it..." She walks to the side table picking up the photo of her, David and Mary Margaret on their wedding day. "I got it because it was the first thing I can make as my own with the earnings from the bounty hunting you know? but right now. It truly feels like home." She places the picture down to look over to the older woman.

Regina turns to look at the blonde as she speaks "Emma…" she softly whispers

The cop moves closer and wraps Regina into her arms. "Hey. I still feel it. That pull to you."

Regina looks deep into those vulnerable green eyes and loses herself to the feel of strong hands placed on her lower back the breath that touches her lips. She moves her hands to wrap around Emma's neck. They fit. She stares as Emma's tongue peeks through her lips and moistens them. Their eyes meet and Regina lets go.

Lips press together finally. Eyes flutter close as bodies are pulled closer. Regina swipes her tongue along Emma's bottom lip and the younger woman responds with a soft moan parting her lips to give Regina access. Tongues meet and dance back and forth. Teeth graze and pull as whimpers emanate from the back of throats. Regina's mind becomes fuzzy as her body tingles with need. Oh Emma is back in her arms and it feels so overwhelmingly wonderful. Regina pushes Emma back against the wall as the kiss deepens.

The cop slides her fingers into dark locks as she pulls Regina deeper into her mouth. The blonde turns them and pins the brunette on the wall she slides her jacket off the brunette's shoulders. Regina feels like jumping out of her skin because she was burning inside. Lips break apart but Emma tugs the woman's face to the side as her pink lips place wet kisses on the brunette's pulse point. Regina moans loudly as she grabs the blonde's shirt. Fuck everything about this feels like too much.

The mayor has never felt so alive. Every second with the younger woman just surpasses normal logic. She shouldn't want a person this much. She shouldn't taste so good. She shouldn't feel like this. Her body was alive, on fire; every nerve ending was sending her brain a heavy dose of dopamine. Her veins were filled to the brim with adrenaline. Regina pushes the blonde's mouth back to hers in a passionate kiss. She wanted to devour Emma she wanted Emma to devour, ravage, claim every bit of her. She wanted to take and willingly give.

Black heels start to move them towards the bed. Emma followed mindlessly to where ever those lips lead. The younger woman falls back and Regina climbs on to her lap. Lips latch on again as Emma rolls their bodies. Regina's red skirt bunches up around her hips as her legs spread to make room for the blonde grinding slowly against her aching sex. Oh god. This is too powerful.

Emma pulls back first to look into darken chocolate eyes. "Wait" she says as her lips press against swollen lips. "Wait" she reluctantly pulls back again. They stop kissing and stare deeply into one another finding the other halves of themselves.

"What's wrong?" Regina's voice is deep and raw. She looks at the woman with worry.

"Nothing. I just….I want this." she kisses those lips again unable to resist the pull of gravity. "Do you know how long I have wanted this?" she laughs a little. Then her features soften "I want you so badly but I also want to know so much about you….I feel too strongly to just fuck you."

Regina heart rate picks up because as much as she wants to submerge herself into the blonde she didn't want it to be just a physical thing. What she was feeling inside was something more, something so much deeper. "There are so many things I want to know about you too…"

"Good. Because when we do this…" Emma lips kiss the shell of the brunette's ear "I'm going to make love to you…" those words penetrate the mayor's mind and ricochets throughout her whole body. When they make love.

Not if but when!

When they make love, when they will spend hours worshiping each other. Oh god she thinks back to a time when that has ever happened and finds no memory. She was falling for this woman and she was falling hard but laying in this bed surrounded by Emma she didn't care about the fall because she knew by the look in those green eyes that they'll fall and land together.  
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"Cora, what a surprise I didn't expect you to visit." Daniel said as he answered the front door and stepped aside to allow his mother in law inside the spacious house.

"Hello dearest. I figured I would pay you a visit while my daughter was away," Cora walked into the living room and removed her coat while looking at the pictures framed on the mantle. "Speaking of my daughter, do you know where she is?"

"She's in Dallas with the Governor." He answers as his brow scrunches in confusion.

"Yes that's where you would expect her to be, but unfortunately she's not." Cora said almost distractedly as she turned to face her son-in-law. What a stupid boy.

"She's not in Dallas? Where is she then?" Daniel replied in confusion. Why would Regina lie to him?

"She's in Boston. It appears that she went to visit someone she met at Mr. Gold's wedding."

A look of realization came across Daniel's face. The only person he could think of that lived in Boston would be Neal's girlfriend well now ex-girlfriend, that's what he recently discovered at dinner with his best friend. Neal was crushed. He had fallen for the girl and days before he plucked up the courage to proposal Emma told him that she wanted to end it. Why on earth would Regina travel all the way to Boston to visit someone she barely knew? Did they keep in contact? He didn't know if they spoke. Was Regina there comforting a friend?

"Why would she go to Boston to visit Emma? They barely know each other."

"Stupid boy, are you blind or simply a fool?" Cora snapped in irritation. Honestly, how dense could he be? "My daughter is more than likely cheating on you with this woman. While I am appalled enough that she would be attracted to a woman in the first place, I am even more struck by the fact that you are not man enough to keep her interests. You forgot your objective and let your emotions get in the way. You were not supposed to fall in love with her; you were supposed to make her fall in love with you. Keep her where I needed her to be. Obviously you failed in both areas."

"Cheating? Regina would never cheat. How can you even accuse her of such a thing?"

"How?" she inspects her nails almost bored. "My dear boy in order to remain in control one must have eyes and ears everywhere. The day Ms. Swan left she went to my daughter's office and had a bit of a lover's spat."

"But Regina isn't interested in women. She's straight, she is attracted to men. She's attracted to me…" Daniel responded incredulously offended by Cora's strike at his manhood.

"Obviously she is not as straight as you originally thought. I have already made arrangements to go to Boston to personally escort my daughter back to Storybrooke, and it is your job to keep her here. Your job now is to banish all thoughts of Emma Swan from her head."

"You're going to Boston to get her?" he asks surprised.

"You are not a parent Daniel so you couldn't understand. A mother's work is never finished, and it is my responsibility to punish her for her disobedience." Cora said with a cold smile as she put on her coat and walks out the door.  
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Regina covers her mouth as she laughs. Emma grabs her hand and pulls it from her face. "Never cover your face. You have a beautiful smile." She laces their fingers together and pulls them to her lips kissing each of Regina's fingertips.

"You make me feel beautiful." Regina looks out the window trying to cover the blush from her admission. Emma's finger tips touch the bottom of her chin. "Don't look away. I love to look at you."

"Are you always like this!" Regina riles nervously.

"Honestly no but there is something about you that makes me soft…My childhood was…hard. After my parents died when I was seven I ended up in the system. No living or willing relatives who wanted to take me in. The system is horrible and filled with foster parents that should be in jail and kids who are too broken to know better. You get caught up in trying to survive. I met some pretty nasty people and had to grow a pretty thick skin." Emma swallows thickly after taking a sip of her wine.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that"

The blonde looks out the window staring at the cars. She shrugs and shakes her head. "You don't have to apologize shit happens and you just have to deal with it. It made me who I am today."

"I find you so painfully beautiful and strong willed. To grow up like you did and still end up a cop. You're much braver than I am."

"I'm not strong and trust me I had to fall pretty deep before I picked myself up. When I was a teen I ran away from my last foster home and hung out with this group of kids. We did what we had to survive which meant steal and stuff. This one time we were shoplifting and we got caught. They ratted me out and I was sent to Juvie. During my time I got my G.E.D and with good behavior I was released early. I was placed in another home but the lady there was really kind and helped me get a job at a bails bond place. I caught on really quick and I had a knack for finding people. My boss let me take on a case and after that I was a bounty hunter. One of the cops that used me as a contact thought I would make a good cop so he pulled some strings and I got in to the academy."

"Wow. Emma. I'm really proud of you. I bet your parents are too."

The blonde shrugs again. "I didn't do any of that for them. My parents were junkies and died. They abandoned me for their own selfish habit." The tears slip out of her eyes. Regina inches closer and wipes the stains away, pulling the blonde closer and kissing her eyes. The intimacy shared between the two is so natural and comforting. "You are beautiful Emma and strong. I am in awe of you."

Emma leans in and kisses those soft lips. She releases the breath she was holding. "How about you? Are your parents alive?"

"My father passed when I was young and my mother is still around." she huffs at the mention of Cora.

Emma laughs "I take it you don't like her very much?"

"Mother is a very difficult woman. She was never really… nurturing. I was raised by the love from my nanny and after my father died she fired all the help and raised me."

"How did you end up being the Mayor?"

"After I received my law degree me and Daniel got married. He is an attorney as well and works for Gold. When we moved to Storybrooke the mayor passed away and I saw an opening. I was never comfortable with being the supportive doting housewife. So I ran and was elected. To say the least mother was pleased."

"She sounds like a Bitch."

"That is one way to describe her."

Emma traces the line on her lip. "How did you get this?"

Regina touches the scar on her lip and closes her eyes. "Mother…" she whispers and opens her eyes to see the blonde's face harden.

"She hurt you?" she asks through clench teeth.

"It was a very long time ago dear. Relax. I'm ok now."

Emma pulls her close and kisses the scar. "No one is ever hurting you again."

"It looks like I am the one who will be doing the hurting this time…" she sighs against the blonde's lips.

"Do you love him?" she asks hesitantly feeling very vulnerable.

Regina stays silent for a long moment to contemplate her answer. Does she love him? Did she ever truly love him? She enjoyed his company and the liberation he allowed in her life from her mother. He was the means to an end. The first to approach her and not run away, she felt safe with him but now that she has gotten a taste of what true passion is. Of what love could possibly evolve to. "No…I don't love him. I don't think I ever did."

Emma smiles and nods to herself. "So what are we going to do because honestly I don't think I can ever let you go."

"Good." Regina leans in to kiss the blonde soundly "Because I don't plan on leaving."

 

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A/N: Thoughts? Feels? Any favorite lines?


	4. Chapter 4

Till Kingdom Come

A/N: Thanks again for the wonderful reviews and questions, I do try to make it a point to respond individually but those of you Anons who reviewed, Thank you and I love you! Thanks again awesome beta Gemilh. 

Enjoy.  
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Part IV.

Brown eyes flutter open to the sounds of light snoring. A smile breaks Regina's face as she feels a mop of blonde hair tickles her neck. She looks down to see Emma lying with her head on the brunette's chest an arm tightly wrapped around Regina waist like she was a giant body pillow. Emma was molded to the side of her body with a leg draped over her hips and Regina thinks that she could wake up like this forever. She pushes some of the hair to the side fingertips gently grazing her pale neck and Emma snorts and jumps up. She blinks repeatedly until the sleep haze wears off. A crooked grin paints the blonde's face as she rubs her sleepy eyes.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Regina's voice was thick with sleep as her fingers pull a strand of Emma's tousled hair behind her ear.

"It's ok, I'm a light sleeper" she shrugs nonchalantly "Ever since I was a kid." She covers her mouth as she yawns.

Regina frowns because she could only imagine what it was like to sleep in places that were not safe, to sleep on the streets, to never allowing your body to fully rest because your mind was always on alert. Regina pushes the blonde onto her back and she lays on top of her, snuggling her face in the crook of Emma's neck. The blonde slides her hands under Regina's borrowed t-shirt to feel her skin pulling her closer against her body she lazily draws patterns on the toned olive skin. The tenderness in this puts Regina at ease. The comfort she feels being nestled in this woman's arms… is heaven. She lets out a heavy sigh of relief. Emma was soft and nurturing and everything she didn't think she needed.

"Did you sleep well?" the blonde asks as her lips kiss Regina's crown.

"The best sleep I've had in weeks." She admits happily.

"Me too. It's a bit unreal. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that you're here. I swear for a moment I thought this was a dream." Emma's nose rubs Regina's scalp taking in an intoxicating whiff of the brunette's cinnamon apple shampoo.

"We have to talk to Daniel." Regina sighs and she feels Emma tense up her body. She lifts her head up to look into green eyes.

"We?" Emma asks with a smile.

"Yes we… I don't think I'm strong enough to do this alone and I feel like once we talk to him we can leave…I don't want him thinking that I will change my mind…" Emma smiles at Regina. The thought that the brunette is willing to come back to Boston with her is overwhelming. No one ever picks her. She was always abandoned; first by her parent's habit then by the countless foster families that didn't think she was enough for them to adopt and by her so called friends who let her take the blame for their crimes. Regina is choosing her willingly and that fact fills the blonde with so much joy; they can start a life together. But the cop knows that life isn't that simple and things don't fall in to place so easily sadly she will wait for the other shoe to drop. She frowns "Do you think he will get mad or violent?"

Regina shakes her head "No I know Daniel, he doesn't have one violent bone in his body but I don't know how he will react to this, this will be coming completely out of left field."

Emma nods in agreement. "Neal didn't take it very well either."

"When I got here I spoke to Daniel and he told me that Neal was there. Did you tell him about us?"

"No, there was no us at the time but I broke up with him the night he proposed to me…"

Regina lays her head on the blonde's chest trying to cover the smug smile "Well that's unfortunate for him but his loss is my gain. I swear that man is completely incompetent he didn't deserve you."

"And you do?" she asked smiling.

Regina raises her head again and her eyes soften relieving her inhibition "If you let me?" she responds in a whisper.

Emma cups the brunette's cheeks pulling her closer "Of course. I was yours the moment we met." Lips meet in a soft kiss and break. Regina rests her forehead on Emma's and she lets a breath escape her lips "I'm sorry it took me some time to realize that…"

"Did you and he….I'm sorry but the thought of him…makes me…" the blonde growls a little.

Regina smiles at the blonde's display of jealousy "I'm his wife Emma" she playfully rolls her eyes "but I have to admit something…" Regina says as she twirls a blonde curl around her index finger. Emma twitches her nose if to say 'what'

"I haven't….I mean we haven't… since you…" she huffs with her inability to find her words. "Ugh… what I'm trying to say is that I haven't let Daniel touch me since the day you left Storybrooke. It felt wrong like I was betraying you somehow. Like it or not Miss Swan you ruined me….I am yours too…"

"Mine…" Emma whispers as her face lights up. Her smile shines so brightly. She's never had something truly hers. She's never had someone freely give themselves over to her. Regina was hers. The thought bursts into millions of sensations throughout her body. Daniel hasn't touched her. Regina was hers! Emma rolls them placing herself between the brunette's legs. "I'm starting to think you like being on top." Regina giggles playfully as her hips unconsciously roll into Emma's panty clad hips.

"I just like how you react when I do this…" she grinds slowly against Regina's sex making the brunette arch her back fully off the bed and moan loudly as her eyes roll back. God this woman is so intoxicating. Regina's hands find the bottom of Emma's shirt and slowly pull it up as lips latch on to one another. Emma allows the shirt to be pulled over her head as she loses herself in Regina's touch and addictive mouth. Regina's fingers dance across soft skin. Dull nails scratch as Emma's tongue twists in her mouth.

The sound of brunette's stomach gurgling stops the very heated kiss from escalating to something more. Emma pulls back and laughs. Regina shoves her off and rolls to the side completely embarrassed. Emma comes up behind her and hugs her. "Looks like someone's hungry" she teases as she kisses the back of the brunette's neck.

"Shut up." Regina grunts

Emma laughs looking at the adorable brunette. "Baby it's ok."

Suddenly Regina turns around to look at the blonde smiling. "Say it again."

Emma's confused look softens when she understands the request "Baby…"

Regina kisses those pink lips softly "I like the way that sounds…Now it is customary to feed your guests is it not? So feed me woman and not one of those bear claws you indulge on every morning."

Emma rolls her eyes as she untangles the sheet around her leg and gets out of the bed. She was wearing just black boy shorts and stood there unashamed that she was completely topless. Regina stares at Emma's full breasts with hungry eyes. Her attention perks up as she watches the blonde stretch.

"Yeah yeah. I don't see you complaining about my form Madame Mayor." She grins as the chocolate eyes meet hers. She turns around and walks towards the kitchen adding an extra sway in her hips. Regina rests on her elbows looking at the blonde's ass "On the contrary dear if those donuts contribute to that fat ass then you'll hear no complaining from me." That comment awarded her with a loud boisterous laugh emanating from the kitchen.

"I can't believe you called my ass fat!" Emma paddles her way back to the bed her breasts bouncing with every step. "Eyes here!" Mocha eyes rise to look at the blonde's entertained face.

Regina swallows thickly "They are very distracting dear." She uses her chin to point in the direction of Emma's breasts.

Emma grins and leans down to grab her shirt. After putting it back on she looks at the older woman amused "Better?" she questions

"Yes very." Regina shakes her head as she tries to clear some of the arousal she feels clouding her brain.

"I'm gonna make us some breakfast. You take a shower." The blonde walks over to her dresser and pulls out some clothes and places them on the bed. Regina looks at the jeans and sweater with a curious gaze. "You want me wear your clothes?"

Emma nods eagerly "Well unless you want to reuse what you had on last night?"

"I can go back to my hotel and get ready."

Emma shakes her head "nah uh. I told you I'm not letting you go for a second. Besides I bet what you have in the hotel are business suits and today we're relaxing. Plus I like the idea of you wearing my clothes."

Regina laughs loudly "Really dear if wanting to show signs of ownership that pleasing to you I know a more productive way of marking your territory." Regina smiles as she stands up walking over to the blonde. "Are you sure you don't want to shower with me?" she says in a seductive voice which makes the blonde shiver.

Emma laughs nervously "As tempting as that sounds I don't trust myself and I want to take you out and if I go in there with you I will mark every inch of you… we'll never leave this house." She kisses the mayor's shoulder.

Regina pouts in which is kissed away by the blonde's lips. "Go…"

"Where are we going?"

Emma shakes her head "It's a surprise." Regina huffs and turns around to walk towards the bathroom she yelps as the cop slaps her ass.  
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Regina gets off the motorcycle first and takes off her helmet she runs her fingers through her hair trying at a poor attempt to fix the rumpled tresses as she looks around. "You're taking me to a museum?"

Emma turns off the bike and takes off her helmet as well shaking her head letting her blonde locks fall down to her shoulders she smiles shyly. "I may have googled you a few times and found out that you minored in Fine Arts. I thought we can look at some art. I would love to know why you like it…"she looks had her hands.

"You googled me?" Regina asks laughing

"You find that creepy don't you?" she nervously nurses her bottom lip between her teeth.

Regina shakes her head "quite the opposite…I find it charming. Thank you. I can't remember the last time I've been to one. There isn't anything in Storybrooke like this." Emma smiles wildly and gets off the bike. She secures the helmets and grabs the brunette's hand pulling her to the entrance.

They walk down the hall of the abstract expressionism exhibit fingers intertwined. This felt so natural and Regina wanted to laugh at how ordinary it was. She and Daniel never went to museums; they never did anything fun really. In college she would paint when she was alone and then he would take her to dinner, always dinner; their first date was at a country club, they never grabbed a burger or a beer or gone bowling. Regina thinks back and realizes that they were so boring and then after they got married it was always events for work. She stopped painting after a while and focused on law because Daniel pushed her to. It wasn't her mother anymore saying that art was a waste but Daniel who told her that she needed to do something more practical. She lost her freedom of expression; it was buried deep beneath the layers of penal law and dullness.

Emma was a breath of life. She brought back passion that dwindled inside of her. She was able to see the world with its vibrant shades again. Walking through these halls reminded her of her father and how they would spend hours in the museums in New York for their weekend excursions without her mother. This was something that was only theirs. He indulged her in her hunger for art. He let her thrive in the vivid colors. He let her dream.

"I don't understand this section. Why is abstract so important? It's just lines and circles, anyone can do this."

"But abstract is an opinion Miss Swan. Abstract is the art of self-expression it allows you to paint without any use of nature or element. It always comes from inside of the artists. As long as there is emotion the artist can create anything, unlike if you are a landscapist, you're just making a copy of what you see. It's a glimpse in a person's psyche. I think that abstract art of any style is the most creative and unique art of all." Regina ends her rant with a slight blush on her cheeks as she looks over to the blonde who was silent. She felt over-whelmed, Emma looked at her like she was the most beautiful, the most interesting thing she has ever encountered. The devotion that shined through those golden green eyes makes her heart pound faster. Emma pulls Regina into a kiss that was full of hope and love. She kissed her in public and Regina allowed it because she was not ashamed to stand beside this woman. Emma made her not care about what the world thought.

All that matters is this moment in this place with this woman. The kiss deepens as they lose themselves in front of a painting titled soul-mates.  
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"I promise you it tastes amazing!" Emma urges on

"But there is so much cheese…" the white gooey mozzarella dangles from the triangle bread.

"For god sakes woman, live a little!"

Regina opens her mouth and bites down on the buttery crust. She closes her eyes and chews in delight. She moans loudly as she licks her lips "That's delicious…" she takes another bite of the stuffed crust pizza.

Emma clears her throat the sounds emanating from this woman was making her squeeze her thighs a little tighter Good god she sounds amazing. "I know right! Now down it with this!" she pushes the cup towards Regina trying to lighten the mood but who knew watching Regina eat would be so fucking appealing?

"I am not a fan of beer Emma." She eyes the amber liquid, foam sliding down the glass and cringes.

"It's not just any beer it's a Sam Adams Octoberfest. You can't visit Boston in the fall without trying one of these."

The brunette pulls the pint towards her lips she smells the spice of the hops the cool liquid mixes with her tongue. She was surprised when the bitterness didn't hit her and she drinks it again in gulps.

Emma gives her a knowing grin "Told ya you'll like it now you'll be drinking like a pro."

Regina rolls her eyes as she continues to eat. She was surprised when they arrived to this little hole in the wall. It was an old colonial church built in the revolution, inside it was big with large wooden planks holding the roof, everything smelled of Oak. The bar stretched the length the inside. Church pews were converted in to booths with old tables resting in between. Candle chandeliers hung from the ceilings and items from the colony days hung on the walls. It seems that every bar liked that brand of décor. Light music played in the background.

"I had a wonderful time today Emma." She sets the glass down and looks at the blonde with a small smile to her admission.

"I'm glad. I had a wonderful time too." She takes the brunettes hand into hers and plays with her fingers. "Did you guys do things like this…" she looks down a bit ashamed for how self-conscious she looks like by asking but she feels like it's a competition. The woman who she is falling for, who she wants so badly is married to someone else… but that's not her fault she keeps reminding herself. They were in different places before they met.

"Emma…I really don't want to talk about him" Regina sighs sadly. "You must know by now that I'm choosing you but not by the things we do but how right this feels." She pulls the hand to her lips and kisses the blonde's fingers. "I may be comparing you both in my head but I promise you you're winning. Everything I feel…" she touches her heart feeling her heart pound. "What I feel for him is nothing compared to how strongly I feel for you and that makes me feel bad because falling for you… It seems like I have no choice and that is so unfair to him… But being here with you I feel alive again and I think I'm too selfish to let it go for anything…"

Emma gives her a lopsided smile "You're falling for me…"

Regina rolls her eyes as she laughs "Of course that is the only thing you heard."

"Well yeah. I mean who wouldn't fall for all of this…" she laughs  
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As the candles dwindle down to their last flicker Emma pulls Regina down a staircase. "Emma, where are we going?"

"You'll see" she says over her shoulder.

They continue down the steps of the bar till they reach the landing. Regina notices the flashing light behind the curtain. Emma pulls them down the hall the humming of deep bass music gets louder as they get closer. The cop pushes the curtain aside. Brown eyes widen. The basement to the church was converted to a lounge. Another smaller bar sat in the corner with a dance floor in the center. Strobe lights flashed in bright neon colors against the thick fog seeping from the ground. It was mesmerizing and a sight to behold, like stepping into a dream. Regina held the blonde's hand tightly as she pulls them towards the bar. Passing bodies that moved against one another to the beat. The bass was so strong that it vibrated in the air making her legs tingle.

Emma orders; the small glasses are laid in a row and filled to the brim. She indicated that they are both having two. Regina just nods and follows the blonde along. The woman leans closer pushing some of Regina's hair off her shoulder. Regina just watches in awe as Emma leans in and places her tongue flatly on her neck and licks. Shivers instantly radiate down her spine to her toes. Emma pulls back and smiles wickedly she pours salt on the moist patch of skin. Taking a lime tells Regina to open her mouth which she does willingly she places the lime between her teeth and the brunette bites down. Emma knocks back the shot and places her tongue on salted skin licking up and then some and sucks on the lime between the brunette's lips. It was the sexiest thing that Regina has ever witnessed. Fuck this woman. Emma pulls back with the lime in her mouth. Regina notices the juice running down the corner of the blonde's lips and she moves forward dragging the tip of her tongue to lick up any leftover juice.

Emma was shocked and incredibly turned on; When Regina pulls back licking her own lips brown eyes darken hungrily. The air thickens between them the energy is electrifying. The alcohol the music the fog clouds their minds; Regina makes the first move by pulling on the cop's shirt as lips crash together. The kiss deepens as Emma bites and sucks on the mayor's bottom lip. This continues as body parts are licked and limes are sucked and mouths are kissed while alcohol buzzes their system. Regina felt alive. She felt the music course through her body.

Emma pulls her again and she follows as they weave through the crowd. More bodies packed the dance floor since they got there. Emma stops and turns to look at the brunette. She places her hands on her jean clad hips tugging on the belt loops. Regina automatically threads her fingers in to the blonde tresses. Emma's thigh slips in between the brunettes and hips start to sway to the beat.

Regina turns and leans into Emma both of them moving as the beat thrumming against their ear drums picks up. The lights flashed as hearts pounded harder. The lyrics to the song danced in Regina's mind as her ass grinded against Emma's pelvis If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity? It all makes so much sense. How can something so good be wrong? Why does Emma feel so right? Why does her body fit perfectly with hers? How is she even making her feel so much? She must be a witch, she's bewitched her somehow. Regina's body is moving in ways she didn't think possible. She wants to drown in Emma. She hears Emma hiss 'fuck' in her ear as she moves against her.

Emma's body was on fire Regina was the embodiment of sex and she doesn't even know it. Every move every swing, everything this gorgeous woman does sends delicious aches throughout the blonde's body. Their movements matched in equal passion. Breathing heavily in equal gulps of air, a light coat of sweat shining their skin. "Emma" the brunette murmurs as the blonde's lips suck on the base of her neck. She quickly turns to face the younger woman.

Emma gasps as the hunger shining from the brunette's eyes. It's as if Regina let her body be possessed by something else. Something so carnal and raw. "I want you.." Regina breathed using Emma as her personal pole. She slides her body down leveling her face with the blonde's center before turning and grinding as she rose, pressing her body against the blondes in so many right places making her eyes roll back shut the younger woman finger nails dig in the skin above the brunette's jeans. The olive hands trail up her body in a slow pace making their way to brush pass the blonde's breasts. She feels the pebbled flesh harden and moans as she kisses the blonde's neck. Regina's head was buzzing, the desire for Emma has reached its limits. Regina pulls the blonde in to a deep passionate kiss.

"Take me home" she says as she pulls the fleshy lobe between her teeth.

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A/N: Thoughts? Feels and maybe if I get some positive feedback (reinforcement) I might not make you wait for the next update. The choice is yours ;)


	5. Chapter 5

Till Kingdom Come

A/N: Early update you ask? Why yes, it's a gift from me to you. Thank you. The response for the last chapter was amazing and totally encouraged me to continue. So here we go and just keep in mind that chapter is Rated M. As always thank you beta Gemilh and AngelofLight for helping me with ideas. 

Hope you truly enjoy.   
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V.

The motorcycle ride doesn't help Regina one bit the entire way to Emma's apartment. The vibration between her legs radiated in all places, pulsating to the tips of every extremity and pooling at the center of all her aching need. She wanted Emma. She needed Emma and in a few short moments she was going to ravage Emma. The brunette had to practice an immense amount of self-restraint in not touching the very sexy blonde. Her legs were spread pressed against the blonde's ass; every bump they hit sent jolts right to her apex. She feared she would touch the woman where she wanted so badly and send both of them hurdling to their deaths so… she kept her hands tamed bound tightly around the blonde. The cop weaved through traffic in speeds that might have been illegal but this was an emergency. The need to devour was great as if they were about to die of starvation.

Moments became blurred as the bike came to a stop. Helmets taken off. Mouths connected and they kissed the entire way, lips bite as legs fumbled up the stairs never separating for more than a few moments.

Emma's body was pushed against the wall as lips sucked on available flesh. Enchanting moans escaped parted lips. Hands moved in a rhythm of their own. Regina's trembling fingers slowly unbuttons the buttons of the blonde's white blouse. Each button that passes through the slit reveals another inch of the blonde's alabaster skin, another sliver that hypnotizes the brunette. Plump lips caress each new land of skin marring it as hers. She needed these constraints keeping the younger woman's nude form from her mouth gone.

She tugged and pulled and succeeded in tossing the garment to the ground. She kisses her way down as she places herself on her knees before the blonde. Quivering hands unfasten the belt and Emma pants and hungrily licks her lips looking down at the brunette. The sight of Regina's hands and mouths so close to her center was making her go cross eyed. Regina leans in and swirls her tongue around the blonde's belly button feeling the muscles twitch to her touch. The mayor had to admit it was so satisfying the way the blonde reacted. Her breath shuttered and her skin thrummed wildly. The cop leans down cupping the brunette's face, deep dark forest green eyes lighten as she stares into chocolate orbs, her eyes dance with a glint of light and she smiles. Thin lips curl up in pure joy and she pulls Regina's face towards hers needing to feel her lips on hers.

Regina stands up on shaky legs and they move against any surface standing in their way to the bed. Clothes are pulled and dropped carelessly in their wake, shoes chucked to the corner. They waited long enough. Emma was trying to do the right thing by slowing things down. She wanted to know everything about the brunette. Give the woman an out if need be but the blonde knew the moment her lips touched Regina's that her desire for the woman would never falter. That her happiness, her joy, her satisfaction lies solely with Regina. She knew that what they were about to do was wrong because Regina wasn't free. There was still Daniel. The man who got to her first but this was not the time to think about the consequences. This is the time for actions and mistakes this is the time to indulge and think later. But their love will be borne by the death of another. In her conscious it was wrong but by the way Regina's lips sucked eagerly at the base of her neck all thought was lost to the wind. But Daniel. "Wait. Wait." She says panting hands push Regina's shoulders back.

"What?" Regina pulls back more "What's wrong?" worry fills those beautiful brown eyes and it makes Emma's heart ache because she never wants the woman to feel an ounce of rejection.

"Are you sure about this?" Emma asks her eyes focuses on the brunette's face admiring her full lips and the slit scared on her face. She wanted to trace those lips with her tongue.

"About this or about us?" the brunette's asks as the fuzziness in her mind fades she licks her bruised chapped lips.

"About everything… About right now and tomorrow because if you're not sure… if we do this Regina…there's no going back." she studies her face to find any hesitance but Regina's stormy eyes soften and burn bright with unadulterated love and determination.

"I don't want to go back Emma. I want you. Right now and tomorrow and every day that's to come. I am falling hard and fast and I'm not afraid anymore." Chocolate eyes dance between golden eyes and bruised lips she craved to kiss once more.

"Are you sure Regina?" tears slide down Emma's face "If I give myself to you…Please just don't leave me…" her bottom lip quivers.

"My darling." She cups the blonde's cheek her thumb wipes the wetness away and she looks at her yearningly "You'll never be alone again." She guides the cop's face towards hers and presses their lips together slowly. Her tongue leisurely sweeps Emma's bottom lip beseeching entry. Lips part releasing a moan from the back of Emma's throat, it sounded like a purr as tongues danced back and forth. They cling to one another until the blonde pulls back.

"Please Regina" her voice breaks as she bites down on her lip to stifle a moan when Regina squeezes her right breast. Fingers roll the pebbled flesh making the blonde arch into the brunette's hand. She felt like she was going to jump out of her skin. She felt like she was burning alive and Regina poured the gasoline and lit the match to watch her burn.

"Please what?" she taunts the woman beneath her. Drawing out a loud long moan as her tongue encircles the left nipple, tracing her lips with the harden nub.

"Please make love to me…"

What is a perfect moment? When do you know when it's happening? Is it before or after?

Your life is a stream of random moments weaved together. We spend our entire lives trying to find the meaning and purpose of it all. Some throw away all worldly possessions in order to find it and some find their happiness in themselves; inside the mind through deep meditation when you find the balance between beauty and harmony. Others may find it in the laughter of their child. Some find it with God. These elements allow you some perspective, a guide, a blueprint to life.

Something completely and utterly out of your control.

You would think that for a woman like Regina Mills that her happiness and her passion would be found in something complicated like power, money, security; the forces that drove her mother. But as complicated Regina may be, what she wanted was absolutely simple, something so arbitrary. You would think it would take more other than the woman who lies underneath her, offering herself willingly. Her eyes shined with love and vulnerability and longing and happiness and joy. She was the beginning the middle and end for Regina.

She is enough.

The mayor spent her whole life trying to be perfect and who knew it would be found with Emma Swan. Her skin is perfection. She tastes of perfection. And when Regina presses her fingers pass the short curls against Emma's wet folds the feel is perfection. The blonde's mouth opens wide as she moans loudly her eyes never closing staring deeply into the brunette's through hooded lids. Regina's fingers slide deep inside the blonde and settles for a moment, rolling her eyes back and reveling in the fact that Emma's velvet sheath is pulsating around her. It's wet and warm and as she pulls out and back in; the blonde reacts by simultaneously arching her back, pressing her feet flat into the mattress and fisting the sheets as she screams for more.

This moment was intoxicating. The feel was sensory overload. She can feel every twitch, every squeeze, and every tremble the younger woman's body would make. Emma's sopping sex allowed Regina to pull out and slip another finger in, filling and stretching the blonde. Lips found a niche at the base of the blonde's throat which she feels the blood pumping against her lips. She kissed and sucked and marked the hot skin beneath her lips. Emma was hers now until forever. Emma's dull nails find purchase on Regina's back as she grips and scratches the olive skin leaving angry red lines. The brunette hisses then moans. It's a balance between pleasure and pain and how the blonde holds on to her as her thrusts become faster and more chaotic, it feels absolutely overwhelming.

Regina's head is buzzing as she becomes light headed, she feels like her skin was on fire and tingling everywhere. She uses her hips to help slide deeper into Emma. The room fills with the sound of moans and heavy breathing at some point someone growls. The bed rocks and items on the side table falls. They are lost in one another. Their hot all consuming passion is mixed and woven together as two souls become one.

Emma feels it. The pull in her belly, the impending climax she feels build deep within her. This orgasm is going to go down for the record books. She tastes the salt on the brunette's skin as her teeth bite down on the woman clavicle which grants her a powerful thrust making both of them grunt. She watches Regina in awe as the brunette's rocks her whole body into her. Oh god. She thinks as she squeezes her eyes tightly. Nails dig into flesh she knows she is breaking skin now. Regina growls as she pounds her fingers into Emma. The screams that are ripped from the blonde's throat are loud and music to Regina's ears. The whole building will know that a woman named Regina was bringing this woman to ecstasy. The whimpers and oh gods and yeses were nothing compared her named being repeatedly chanted like Emma needed her name to keep her grounded.

But they were anything but they were floating to heaven.

Emma gains control of her body and slips her hand between the brunette's thighs.

"Together" Is all she says as she slips two long fingers inside Regina. Regina screams at the sudden intrusion as she feels like she is about to burst. Hips rock erratically as their foreheads rest on one another eyes widening and scrunching as they try to stare at each other.

"I… love… you" Emma gasps

Then the room fills with screams of ecstasy. I love you. Was the final straw that broke Regina and her body trembled from an explosive orgasm. Her eyes rolled back and clenched tightly. Emma soon follows after squeezing the brunette's fingers. Gushes of essence coax their fingers and slip down their legs. They continue to ride each other's fingers as the last traces of their climax dwindle.

Regina's head falls in the crooked of Emma's neck. Lips kiss their way down to the center of Emma's chest oh how she wishes she could slip her hand inside the woman's chest, she wanted to kiss the heart that she loved so much, instead she settles for the skin and bone protecting it. She kisses the blonde's chest and looks up to gaze at the burning golden green eyes, filled with so much love and happiness and she knows that none of this was a mistake. Emma is everything she truly needs.

"I love you too." Her voice is horsed and raw from all the screaming her eyes burn with so much conviction. Emma smiles and pulls the brunette into a passionate kiss. One full of promise and hope. The blonde rolls them over and presses herself into the brunette. Regina's pulls away suddenly needing gulps of air. She's so fucking sexy.

"Oh God" Regina's eyes roll back as Emma slides her fingers into her again. Emma chuckles as she slithers her way down the brunette's body placing open mouth kisses to available skin.

"I am not even remotely done with you Madame Mayor." Emma says as her lips encase the older woman's swollen clit.  
===============================================================================================================  
Brown eyes flutter open taking in the soft sunlight that filters through the curtains Regina lifts her head a bit and notices that sometime during the countless times they made love they collapsed horizontally on the bed. Emma's long legs dangled a bit off the mattress. Her long blonde tresses curled wildly against a red pillowcase looking like a lion's mane, one of her arms hooked above her head while the other was resting on her stomach. She looked so beautiful like an angel. The sudden need to capture this moment screamed in Regina's mind. She slowly gets up from the bed. Her bones pop and muscles ache in delight as she stretches her body like a cat. Her frame has never felt so wonderful. She ached in places she didn't know would hurt. Even her tongue hurt. She grins a little thinking of exactly what the muscle in her mouth was doing. She looks over to the young woman who has turned her world completely upside down. She loves me the brunette thinks as a beautiful smile paints her face.

The brunette lightly pads her way over to the giant bookcase looking for blank paper. She smiles at the blonde's collection in books; some were poetry anthologies, classical Greek mythology, cooking books, travel books and even graphic novels. Emma had a book for almost every subject and this made Regina smile because there are so many things they can talk about. The things that come out of that woman's mouth entertain the brunette; she knows that she will never tire of the woman who she ravaged repeatedly. The mayor finds blank sheets of paper on one of the shelves. She walks over to the blonde's desk and pulls a pencil. Satisfied with her supplies she goes back to the bed and sits against the headboard her legs stretched out and crossing at the ankles with a few flicks of her wrists; the brunette falls back into her passion with Emma Swan being her muse.

Thin lips twitch into a smile when she hears soft humming, her greens eyes slowly open, and Emma lazily moves her head to the side and smiles even wider when she notices the brunette's face. Her brow was scrunched and her tongue was poking at the side of her mouth trapped between her lips. She was so focused as she moves the pencil on a sheet of paper; she looked absolutely adorable.

"Good morning." Emma's voice rasps. She swallows trying to moisten the dryness in her throat.

Regina looks up from her sketching and her intense gaze softens as she smiles lovingly at Emma. She looked so happy and beautiful and it makes the blonde's heart skip a beat because she knows she's the reason for that smile. The brunette places the paper down and crawls towards the blonde. Emma moans when Regina places a kiss on her lips. "Morning" the brunette whispers against the blonde's lips.

"What were you doing?"

Brown eyes look down as her cheeks blush. "I was drawing…" she admits in a small voice

"You can draw?" the blonde asks surprised.

Regina shakes her head "I dabble here and there" she humbly waves her hand.

"Let me see."

The brunette hesitates a little and releases a breath. Sitting back up on her legs she reaches over to the paper and hands it over to the blonde. She looks over to the window suddenly capitated by the clouds. Emma smiles at the brunette her embarrassment was adorable. She started noticing that anything the woman did was cute but she wouldn't tease her with it. She looks down to the paper and her mouth falls open. "Jesus Regina this is…" she's in awe. She looks at the drawing of herself and she was shocked that she looks so peaceful and beautiful. The shades of gray darken and lighten in places the sun hit her. "This is beautiful… I look so….beautiful" she says slowly and Regina snaps her head towards the blonde.

Chocolate nervous eyes soften as she says "You are beautiful Emma."

"I never thought so." She looks down at the picture again. She truly wanted to understand what Regina saw in her because when she looked in the mirror she saw something that wasn't good enough for love. Something not worthy of passion and trust. She memorized every painfully beautiful moment with the brunette because she was never worthy enough for happiness.

Regina crawls back towards the blonde and straddles her lap as Emma sits up and wraps her arms around the older woman's waist. Regina kisses the top of Emma's head as she threads her fingers through the long curls. "You're my beautiful girl Emma. You are wonderful and need to be reminded every day." She wraps her arms around Emma's neck pulling her head to rest on her chest. Emma hears the soft thudding of the mayor's heart and it soothed her aching soul. "You make me see the beauty in things again." Regina whisper's in her ear as she kisses the blonde's temple.

"God Regina I'm so in love with you." Emma speaks against the olive skin.

Regina smiles and pulls the blonde with her as she lays back on the mattress. Her legs wrap around the blonde's waist. "I love you too Emma. More than I thought possible" her eyes shine with mirth.

"Do you think we're moving too fast?" The blonde asks as she rubs her nose on the brunette's lips.

Regina stays silent for a moment reveling in the feel of Emma. "Yes…but I heard that the more you love someone, the less sense anything makes."

"Did you just quote Twilight to me?" Emma's voice hints in amusement.

"Indeed I did dear. I was quite fond of those books."

"You are just full of surprises." The blonde laughs

Regina uses her hips to push the woman to her side as she rolls on top of her. Her aroused center rubs against the blonde's pelvis. "Fuck Regina." Emma moans as Regina starts rocking her hips. "Oh god" Regina groans as her head falls back. Emma's fingers grip tightly on Regina's waist guiding the woman as she grinds slowly. Something takes over the brunette's body. A burning passion that starts at the pit of her stomach and ripples throughout her body. She feels like thousands of tiny tethers escape from her skin and connect with the blonde. The cop growls as Regina palms both of her breast squeezing them tightly. The thrusting becomes more erratic as they lose themselves again and fall in to oblivion.  
==============================================================================================================  
"I can't believe you agreed to meet them. I like David but I also loved what we were doing at home." The brunette pouts as Emma's bike comes to a stop.

Emma smirks as she rolls her eyes "We needed a break baby. Food, water and maybe some fresh air. I promise it will be ok. It's just David and Mary Margaret." She kicks the kickstand allowing the bike to lean to the side.

"You could have not answered the phone."

Emma sighs "But they kept calling babe, what could I do?"

"Not answer. I don't appreciate this Mary Margaret" she huffs as she gets off the bike.

"She's just concerned. They are important and you're important and David most likely told her about you being here. She's a bit over-protective…They just want to meet you."

"Which I could have happily met her another time dear." She answers simply not budging.

Emma sighs again and shakes her head "Ok I needed a break. I swear I can sleep for days." She stretches her back feeling the ache all over. She pulls the brunette into her arms. Regina hangs her arms loosely around the blonde's neck.

"Weakling." The brunette mutters and smiles brightly before leaning in and kissing the bruise on Emma's neck. Regina reluctantly unwraps her arms from around the blonde as they walk up to the diner. She recognized the man standing outside as David so she could only imagine that the petite brunette with the pixie cut could be Mary Margaret.

"I'm so glad that you both could make it. We've been looking forward to meeting you," Mary Margaret said as she came over, large smile plastered across her face. David trailed over not far behind her.

"You're Mary Margaret I presume?" Regina studied the woman in front of her. She had a round face and eyes similar to Emma's. She was attractive but Regina wouldn't call her beautiful. Cute would be a better word to describe her.

"Yes, and you must be the Regina I've heard so much about. It's nice to be able to put a name with a face."

"Likewise," Regina moved past her to shake David's hand in greeting before following the two blondes and the short brunette into the diner.

"So how are you enjoying Boston so far Regina?" Mary Margaret asked after they were seated in a comfortable little booth tucked into the corner of the diner.

"I've greatly enjoyed it so far," Regina smirked at the blush that painted Emma's cheeks at the statement. Yes, they had quite enjoyed themselves.

Mary Margaret's eyes scrunch scrutinizing between the two women who shared a look. "I'm glad that you have. Is it very different from Storybrooke?"

Here we go; Regina thinks mentally rolling her eyes "Storybrooke is a very small town. Everyone knows everyone there. Boston is considerably larger."

"Do you enjoy living there?"

"I suppose," Regina began to grow tired of all of these questions. Honestly, the brunette seemed more like a reporter than a school teacher.

"Does your husband know you're here?" Mary Margaret asked point blank. David choked on his coffee and Emma's eyes grew wide at her frankness. Regina's eyes narrowed at the woman sitting across from her as she sips her tea.

"No, he does not." Regina continued to stare Mary Margaret in the eye not willing to back down from the young woman in front of her.

"Oh, well I guess that shouldn't have surprised me. I don't think he would approve if he knew you played hooky from an important business meeting." Mary Margaret gave an innocent smile to accompany her words. It took all of Regina's will power to not reach across the table and slam that smug face into the tabletop. David had recovered from his choking episode and Emma's mouth gaped open like a fish.

"Mary Margaret, why don't we focus on something besides the reasons Regina is here, or her personal matters," David said looking at his wife with a pointed stare, trying to keep the peace between the two brunettes in front of him. He didn't want to have to arrest his wife or Emma's lover for assault.

"You're right David, I apologize. It wasn't my place to bring that up. I was just concerned because most affairs don't last longer than a few months, and I just wanted to make sure that Regina understood the effect this would have on her marriage."

Regina's eyes flashed dangerously at the audacity of the short woman. "You're right, it is not your place to bring this up or worry about my intentions or my marriage. You are not Emma's mother, you are her friend. She is a grown woman and this is between the two of us." She says quickly and clearly.

"Is it?" the short hair brunette eggs on.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you know Regina; two months ago we were here when Emma met you. I listened and comforted her to no end and then to hear that you were married to her boyfriend's best friend. Where were you then, Regina? Oh yeah at home with your husband." A smug smile paints the woman's face.

"Ex" Emma finally interjects and Regina gives her a look saying 'oh look who finally decided to join the conversation' Emma smiles and shrugs weakly.

Mary Margaret clears her throat "Now ex-boyfriend. Emma doesn't deserve to be someone's sloppy seconds or mistress for that matter."

"And I wouldn't allow that!"

"Will you? Because right now it looks like you are having your cake and eating it too." Mary Margaret looks at the bruise on Emma's neck.

"I can't help it that Emma tastes divine." Regina says casually causing Emma to blush brightly and David to choke on his coffee again. Mary Margaret's mouth dropped open in outraged shock.

"Alright I think that's enough. Mary Margaret I appreciate your concern but seriously I'm okay. I love Regina, and she loves me. There's nothing to worry about so just back off, okay?" Emma said, finally coming out of her shock to stare at the woman across from her. Mary Margaret realized that she wasn't going to win this fight and quickly backed off.

"I'm sorry, I truly am. I just care about Emma as if she was family and I just want what's best for her. I'm sorry if I offended you or made you feel uncomfortable." Mary Margaret says with an immense amount of discontent.

"You did both." Regina said with a steely gaze. Emma gave her a pleading look from her side and she sighed. "I can understand the reasoning behind it." She added reluctantly.

"Well now that that's out of the way, how about we walk through town to look at the festival." David says trying to lighten the mood.

"Festival?" the brunette's brow hooks up as she questions her lover.

"Every fall Boston has a festival to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox. Sort of like an Octoberfest." Emma explained.

Regina smiles because Emma could have just said fall but knowing that the cop had an extensive amount of science books, she just learned that Emma was a bit of a nerd and another thing she loves about the woman. "That sounds like fun,"

"Alright then, let's head over." David said with a smile, quickly snatching the bill to pay before anyone else could give a word of opposition. The women followed behind him.

Regina and Emma walk behind the 'Charming' couple Regina rolled her eyes as David wrapped his arm over the pixie hair woman's shoulder as she laughs at something he says.

"I don't know what he sees in her" Regina grunts as her hand swings beside her body occasionally bumping into the blonde's.

"I really don't know what's up with her. She really isn't this judgmental." Emma grabs the brunette's hand and laces their fingers together. Mary Margaret looks over her shoulder and automatically drops her smile as she stares at their hands together.

Regina notices the woman watching them and she stares back "Really? Because she seems so open minded. This is the woman teaching the future generation?"

"Be nice"

"I was trying to be then she had to bring up unnecessary things…My love why don't we just go back to your house and I promise I will make it worth your wild." She pouts as Emma gives her a patient smile.

"As much as I'd love to we're already here. Let's just try to make the best of it. The festival is a lot of fun and who knows maybe I'll win you a prize if you're good." Emma said with a cheeky grin.

"I'll hold you to that." Regina said as she pulled the blonde's hand up to her lips. Emma gave her a small smile at the loving gesture as they walked up to the festival.

The festival was easy to spot considering that a good section of the town had been sectioned off to hold the various stands and activities to celebrate the beginning of autumn season. Orange colored streamers adorned the lamp posts and signs, and people came out in droves to enjoy games, food and drinks. There was a strong smell of delicious food and apple cider. David gestured for Emma and Regina to come closer so they wouldn't get lost in the crowd.

"We have something like this in Storybrooke. I help organize it every year it's called Miner's day" Regina says as the blonde places her hand on Regina's lower back guiding her through the crowd.

"What the hell is Miner's day?"

Regina smile over her shoulder to look at the blonde "It's an annual holiday celebrating an old tradition. The nuns used to make candles and trade them to the miners for coal."

"Coal? In Maine? If they we're mining for Lobsters, I'd understand."

Regina chuckles a little "Storybrooke is the only town that has access to viable coal mines."

"Very interesting."

Regina shrugs "its tradition. I honestly could live without it." They continue to walk as they approach the food cart.

"Want coffee?"

"I'd like to try the Apple cider."  
==============================================================================================================  
Mary Margaret pulls Emma to the side while David and Regina compete in the ring tossing game. Emma watched amusingly as Regina revealed her competitive side and actually wagered money on who would win the stuffed penguin first.

"Emma what do you think you're doing! She's married!" Mary Margaret says in a hurried voice.

Emma rolls her eyes as she watches the brunette, her chocolate eyes are focused as if she is mentally calculating the trajectory of her aim. "Mary Margaret I love you and I really appreciate your concern but seriously back off."

"Emma I don't think it's right that you are both indulging in your lust for one another. Once she's done with you she'll go back to where she came from."

"Enough." Emma practically growls "Since when did you become so self-righteous?" she gives the brunette an incredulous look "I love her Mary Margaret. Okay? She actually means a lot to me and I seriously am losing my patience with you."

The pixie hair woman sighs "I'm sorry Emma. I love you and I am only trying to protect you. She's no good for you."

"Seriously back off." Her fists clench at the side of her body. She was quickly losing her tolerance. She loves her partner's wife she really does but right at this moment she is acting like a complete bitch.

Is this what they were going to go through when people find out about how they met? Will they look at Regina with such judgment labeling her as a liar and cheater and will most likely do the same to the blonde?

"I love her and she loves me. We are going to be together and seriously I don't need to stand here and defend my choices to anyone. You're supposed to be my friend; you're supposed to want me to be happy. That woman over there…" she points to the older woman laughing as she wiggles her fingers waiting for David to pay her, her winnings. "She makes me so happy and so alive and I will not let you ruin that!" her voice raises a bit "After work tomorrow we are going to Storybrooke together and we are telling Daniel. She is leaving him and coming back with me. She is willing to give up everything for me! No one has ever thought I was worth giving things up for."

"Oh Em." The brunette starts reaching out to touch the blonde but Emma flinches back. "They always say that they will leave their husbands but in the end they don't. Don't be stupid Emma."

"I can't believe you…"

"Darling is everything okay?" Regina walks behind the blonde and wraps her arms around the cop's waist. She rests her chin on the blonde's shoulder who relaxes automatically into the older woman's frame. Her chocolate eyes burn brightly at the smaller brunette who was making the woman she loves angry.

"Everything's fine. We were just talking."

"I wasn't speaking to you Mrs. Meyers." Regina clips quickly. She presses a kiss on the blonde's neck. Emma turns to look into the warm brown eyes and she sighs. "Baby I want to go."

"Then we'll go." She loosens her grip on the blonde's waist and turns to David who was walking towards the women holding Regina's stuffed animal.

"Hey Regina. You forgot this." he hands the penguin over and looks over to his partner and notices the tension in her eyes.

"Em, you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine but we're leaving now."

"No.. Emma…. you don't have to go. I'm sorry." Mary Margaret says

"And maybe someday I'll believe you." She turns towards David and pounds his fist "See ya tomorrow."

"Yeah. Text me when you get home." The blonde nods and he looks over to Regina "It was nice seeing you again." He pulls the brunette into a hug which makes his wife click her tongue "Take care of her." he whispers

"Always." Regina responds.  
==============================================================================================================  
Today's the day.

Emma wakes up before the brunette. She turns to her side and looks at the mayor. It was still early the room was filled with tinges of reds and oranges as the autumn sun rises slowly. The colors danced on the olive skin. The bed sheet was barely covering the brunette's naked body. After leaving abruptly from the festival they made their way back to the apartment. They lounged on the couch and playfully served each other ice cream. They talked and laughed. Shared humiliating stories about their past. Shared intimate touches that turned to passionate kisses and that lead to mind blowing sex. They gave and took and sated every desire.

Mary Margaret's words danced in Emma's mind. She planted that seed of doubt and it spread in Emma's mind like a virus. Was Regina really going to leave Daniel? Does she really love me? Will she come back to Boston with me? These questions riddled her mind after the brunette had fallen to sleep nestled safely in the blonde's arms. She looks down at the woman and thinks how can this not be real? She thinks as she slowly caresses her fingers along the brunette's spine causing the flesh to goose bump and shiver.

When she looks into the brunette's eyes she knows. That Regina wasn't lying. She couldn't explain how she knew but she just did. She had a knack for unraveling lies and Regina love's her deeply as she loves her. Regina is willing to give everything up for a chance at true happiness with her. She shook her head trying to rid her mind of the words Mary Margaret said. Her best friend didn't know her, didn't understand her. The fact that she allowed someone through her very thick walls means something. David understood and didn't stand in her way. She was very fortunate to have a friend like him.

Emma looks down to see brown eyes staring intensely at her. She smiles sadly. "I don't want to go to work today."

"I don't want you to go either." The brunette pouts "Can we just stay here forever?"

Emma laughs a little because if only it were that easy "I wish that was a possibility but we have to be grownups and face reality." She fells the brunette sigh and nods her head assenting "Are you ready for tonight?"

Regina stares at the ceiling for a moment. The silence makes the blonde anxious her own personal feelings of worthlessness hit the forefront of her mind as she waits for Regina. She feels that if the older woman wanted to wait she would wait happily for her. "No… but I want this too much." Regina looks over to Emma and notices the insecurity flashing in her eyes "I couldn't stop this even if I tried and I did. I lived a life without and now I know what it's like. I want this too much to be scared. I want this too much to let it slip between my fingers. I know what I feel when I'm with you and I can see it in your eyes. I feel like together…anything's possible." She smile shyly since when did she become so romantic. These words just fall out of nowhere. But by the look Emma gives her she knows she said the right thing.

Emma leans in and kisses the waiting lips. "Wanna take a shower with me and help me get ready for work?" she asks as she wiggles her eyebrows.

"My My Sargent. It's not even seven and you want a quickie before work?"

"I just can't stand the thought of us being separated so I figured that we do as much as we can together before I drop you off at your hotel."

Regina smiles at the blonde's words. Everything that comes out of this woman's mouth penetrates her mind and dances across her veins. The love that pulses within her is consuming and intoxicating. She knew that telling Daniel, her husband, her first love that she was in love with someone else was going to be difficult but with Emma by her side she felt stronger. Her mother always said that love was a weakness but right now she feels invincible. Maybe love… true, honest, deep, passionate love was the key to it all?

Regina kisses the blonde's lips slowly. She pulls away and gets out of bed. She watches the blonde's eyes darken with desire. Emma had a way of looking at her as if she was everything and it affected her, tremendously. "Come along dear. There's a morning shower and quickie we need to scratch off our list." She smirks looking over her shoulder as she watches the blonde quickly stumble out of bed.  
==============================================================================================================  
Emma pulls up at the front of Regina's hotel. The brunette continues to hold the cop tightly. This will be the first time in three days that they will be apart and Regina already feels like she will not be able to handle it. She sighs heavily and gets off the bike. Since when did she start to become one of those women? Oh yeah, when she admitted her feelings for the Blonde. When she decided to go to Boston. When she accidentally bumped into her at the bar. When she made love to her repeatedly. That's when. When she suddenly realized that her whole life was a farce. Emma was the answer, her salvation. Taking off her helmet she secures it to the place she was just sitting on.

Emma feels nervous butterflies flutter in her stomach. Something was wrong. It felt off. She shook her head trying to calm herself down. She thinks it was still the doubt Mary Margaret planted in her mind. Emma notices the single tear sliding down the mayor's cheek.

"Whoa hey. None of this" she presses the back of her fingers on the brunette's cheek wiping the liquid away "It's just 9 hours and I'll be here to pick you up. Okay?" she places her other hand on the other side of Regina's face. Her green eyes stare at the lips she wanted to kiss so badly. Regina gives in first and tugs the blonde's mouth to hers. This kiss was desperate and needy filled with fears and love. Regina whimpers against her lips like they smoothed an ache. Emma reluctantly pulls back and rests her head on Regina's. "I love you Regina." her eyes flutter open to look at the older woman.

"I love you too Emma" Regina whispers against the blonde's battered lips.

"I'll see you later."

Regina nods happily. "Be safe."

"Always" Emma grins. She puts her helmet back on, revs the throttle a bit and with giving her one last look of hesitance she drives away.

Regina watches the red jacket fade away between traffic. She sighs dreamily as she places her fingers against her lips in reverence. Her feet move forward as she enters the hotel.

Sliding the key card into the door. The lock glowed green allowing her access to the room she abandoned for three days. She walked in taking off Emma's black leather jacket and pressing it against her nose. She breathes in Emma's scent and smiles happily.

"Well look who finally showed up." Cora's voice was low and laced with disappointment and annoyance. She was sitting in the corner in the armed chair her legs crossed and her arms rested on the arms. She looked imperial and a bit daunting.

Regina jumped a few feet back. She was completely startled. "Mother what are you doing here?" she asks resting her hand over her pounding heart.

"Just checking in on you dearest." 

They say every ending has a new beginning, we just don't know it at the time.  
===============================================================================================================  
Thoughts? Feels?... It would make this girl a very happy lady!

Until next time you wonderful people.


	6. Chapter 6

Till Kingdom Come

A/n: I am really nervous about this chapter.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Part VI.

Regina jumped a few feet back. She was completely startled. “Mother what are you doing here?” she asks resting her hand over her pounding heart. 

“Just checking in on you dearest. When Leo called me and said his favorite Mayor didn’t show up for the Conference, obviously it peaked my interests. Why would you be in Boston? Why didn’t you answer your phone? Why didn’t you tell your husband?” she pauses looking at her daughter’s face “He was very surprised to know that you lied to him.” She smiles menacingly 

“You spoke to Daniel!?” her voice breaks. No, this isn’t how any of this was supposed to go. She wanted to tell Daniel. 

“Paid him a visit but that neither here nor there. The real question is this...” she snaps her fingers and the giant man in the black suit hands over a manila envelope. She pulls out the sheets. She starts placing the pictures on the table. They are photos of her and Emma; on the motorcycle, another one of them kissing in the museum and dancing at the bar. She was following them! “If you wanted to indulge in whatever vile urges you have you would have been smart enough to keep this hidden…” 

“I will not hide in the shadows like I am ashamed!” Regina lifts her chin defiantly. Her insides anger by her mother calling what she feels for Emma as vile. They were beautiful. 

Cora clicks her tongue. The older woman looks at her daughter carefully. She was beaming with an inner strength she didn’t have before. Whatever her daughter was feeling for the blonde was giving her courage and strength. Allowing her to act more bold and rebellious and this was dangerous waters her daughter to be treading. This needed to be corrected …quickly. “You should be; you have a husband. You are in the position of political power. You have an image, responsibilities to up hold.”

“I don’t want that. I never wanted any of that! I want happiness. I want freedom. I want love!” Regina’s fists shake.

“Love is for fools!” Cora snaps as her finger nails grip the arm rests. She takes a moment and collects herself “Now I raised you better than this.”

“I am leaving Daniel and resigning my post as acting Mayor. We’re going to be together. I'm not a child anymore!”  
The older brunette laughs darkly shaking her head in discontent “You speak as if you have a choice.” The old woman nods her head towards the man in the suit, who pulls out a gun from his holster. Regina’s eyes widen in horror. “You will not shame this family and my reputation with your perverse misconduct. You will accompany me willing, you will cease all communications with that woman and you will take your husband back or…” she looks at her nails inspecting the chipped paint. “I will kill you and your lover.” She says with such ease.

The gasp is inaudible the brunette’s mouth hangs open in disbelief. She knew her mother was not a good but this is downright evil. She feels her heart begin to pound harder as adrenaline courses through her veins. She wanted to run. She wanted to scream. The freedom she felt moments ago with Emma now suddenly vanished. She was once again a caged bird with limited choices. She lost her freewill and she feels like her soul was slowly dying; like her mother snatched her heart out of her chest while it was still beating.

“Mother Please don’t do this.” Regina’s voice breaks a little as her eyes close squeezing the tears out. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she will never see the woman she loves again and that pain; the idea of that reality hurt more than anything. She promised the blonde she would never leave her but without Emma she was nothing. Just a woman standing in front of a crazed over controlling mother with a gun pointed at her. 

“Like you gave me a choice my dear?” she looks at her daughter with annoyance. “Love is a poor man’s notion of happiness but in the real world supremacy is everything, it’s the only way to be in control.” She smiles sweetly at her daughter knowing that she once again has her claws deep in her. She stands up and walks over to her daughter who has her hands clenched tightly at her sides. “Stop acting like a petulant child dear. You’ll see that this is for the best.”

“I hate you…” Regina’s voice drops dangerously low.

The sound of Cora’s hand hitting Regina’s face echoes throughout the small space. Regina’s eyes glisten with rage and shock. Her mother hasn’t hit her since she was a teenager. This made the woman feel so small and defenseless. Regina growls and pulls her fisted hand up but the click of the trigger stops her in her tracks. She hangs her arms in defeat.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The drive back to Storybrooke was filled with silence, well for the most part from the mayor. Regina looked out the window trying to avoid looking at her mother. Of course she would make them drive back, anything to make this whole situation torturous. Would Cora really kill them? She watches the trees wiz by the oranges and reds and yellows all mixed together in streaks that looked like they were traveling the speed of light. “…You need to apologize to him. Of course he will forgive you and try to sound like you feel remorse for sleeping with that woman!”

Regina looks at Cora then rolls her eyes. Her mother was talking the entire way back to Storybrooke, adding more criticism about her behavior, the nerve of that woman controlling every situation. She thinks about Boston and a small smile paints her face. Emma. The thought of her hurts. 

The SUV comes to a stop in front of the manor. “Go deal with your husband.”

Regina walks slowly to the white door of her house. She knew what a home felt like, she shared it with Emma, it might have been for three day but she knew what warmth and what true love felt like and this was no home. She wanted to run. Cora took her phone as she packed all of the brunette’s belongings in the hotel so she couldn’t get in contact with the blonde. She bets by now the woman would be freaking out. They were supposed to come here together and cut ties and go back home. Emma Swan is her home.  
Regina pulls the keys out of her purse and shaky hands open the door. The house was silent, deadly silent. The brunette tries to think of a time when she walked through the door and felt any warmth but she doesn’t remember.

She walks over to the study where she finds Daniel standing facing the fire. The wood crackled and popped as the flames licked the bark. His right hand rests on the mantle mindlessly fumbling the tumbler between his fingers. “Where were you?” Daniel asks still facing the fire his voice was drone and flaccid.

“Boston.”

“So it’s true?”

She swallows thickly. She doesn’t exactly know what Cora told him and she wasn’t just about to incriminate herself. “What’s true?”  
“That you cheated on me with Emma?” he turns around to face her. She notices the dark circles under his eyes. It looks like he hasn’t shaved for days. 

Oh that Regina thinks as she stays silent. What could she say? Her eyes close trying to gather her words because at the moment she finds herself with the inability to lie. She couldn’t deny what she felt for Emma. She wasn’t going to pretend anymore. She knows what happiness is. She felt it. She tasted it. She couldn’t continue with this. She knew that she was going to hurt him but what’s worse? Making him unhappy or herself?

“You slept with her?!” his voice rises a little bit as a disgusted gaze fills his once warm inviting eyes.  
His tone angers the brunette “Honestly I don’t know why you’re surprised I haven’t let you touch me since she left.”

“You don’t know why I’m surprised? We’re married and you’re not Gay! 

“I never said I was.”

“Then why are you fucking a woman!”

“I didn’t just Fuck her.” she says as she crosses her arms.

“You are unbelievable. You know that? She was with Neal. She broke his heart. Have you no shame?”

“I never liked Neal and she didn’t want him.”

“Don’t you care about me?” 

Her voice softens a bit. She hurt him. The longest relationship she had. She did care for Daniel. She did. “Daniel I’m sorry and I tried. I tried to stop thinking about her but I couldn’t… I.. I love her.”

“Do you love me? Did you ever love me?”

“Yes…I did once but….I’m sorry….” Her eyes look to the ground. 

“You’re sorry and what you expect me to forgive you? Pretend that you didn’t lie and cheat on me with a woman! Did you ever think what people will think of me?” His voice escalates as he throws the tumbler against the wall.  
Regina flinches at the sound of glass breaking “How is any of this about you!?” now her voice matches his in volume. 

“You could have fucked a man, your mother said that I wasn’t man enough for you!” he moves closer into her personal space. “You’re mine Regina!” He growls, the warm eyes now darken to shade that rejected all warmth. 

The brunette stumbles back a little because this wasn’t him. He was kind, he was never aggressive. And yes he’s angry, that’s understandable she betrayed him she was a woman of reason but she never expected him to behave this way. She needed to get away from him, his eyes burned with jealousy. Fuck. 

“I decide who I belong to Daniel and I don’t belong to you. I never did!” she takes another step back. 

He laughs which catches the brunette off guard “You honestly think you have any control over this? You think you have a say in this? Divorce me and run off to that bitch!? You think you picked me? Cora hired me.” Regina gaps and covers her mouth. His smile widens as he steps closer. “Cora pays me extra every month as our agreement. Your mother paid me to find you, to court you, to fuck you!” he spats “You are nothing more than your mother’s whore.” The words that fall from his mouth pierce Regina’s heart. It was all a lie. Every bit of it. She could have had a completely different life if Cora hadn’t interfered. She could have been happy. She could have eventually found Emma.  
Daniel loved her. Sure at first it was an agreement, easy money. It paid for law school. It was an easy meal ticket and then he saw her and fell captive to her beauty. He fell for her personality and sharp wit. In the back of his mind he knew that it wasn’t real but after time passed he loved her, he fell truly and desperately in love with her. She was his everything but it looks like she didn’t feel the same intensity. He wasn’t supposed to ever reveal the contract. And he knew that he completely lost Regina the moment the words slipped.

Regina snaps and slaps him across the face her body thrumming with rage “She paid you!” anger fills her very soul. How dare they! She trusted them. She loved them and it was all a set up! Emma was the only one who wanted her. Who loved her with no strings attached. It was unconditional. She quickly turns and walks out the room her borrowed boots pound against the hardwood floor. She needed to get away from all of this. Daniel quickly follows after her. 

“Where are you going?” he grabs her arm in desperation and yanks her towards him.  
Regina flinches and shakes her arm trying to get loose “Let go of me.” Daniel pushes Regina against the wall. “You’re not leaving me!” his has a crazed look in his eyes.

“I am not staying here!”

“You’re going to go back to her?”

“I love her!” she struggles in his hold. 

“No! No you’re mine!” his hand slams against her throat pushing her into the wall. The movement stuns the brunette. She needed to get out of here the look in his eyes was dangerous and wild. She recalls a book she read about crimes of passion. She struggles to swallow the saliva building in her throat. Her hand claws on the hand holding her trying to alleviate the pressure on her throat. “Dan..ell” she struggles to say as her eyes squeeze shut. “please…” she starts to feel light headed.

His eyes soften with remorse and his grip releases and she takes a gulp of air as she coughs. “I'm…I'm so sorry… Please…” but as his hand comes off her neck he notices the bruise on her shoulder. And it clicks. He looks at her apparel. She was wearing jeans that were not hers, a black leather jacket that wasn’t hers. Emma Swan was all over her. The blonde bitch took his wife and claimed her. The bite mark on her was created in a moment of passion and the anger flares back tenfold. “You let her fuck you!” The back of his hand sweeps across her face and Regina falls back. 

“You fucking bitch! I loved you!” he kneels down and grabs the brunette by the shoulders and pulls her close. His head sweeps down and presses his lips against his wife’s. Regina struggles in his arms. No this is wrong. This whole situation was wrong. She tries to push him off of her but he only settles his weight on her pinning her down. “Noooo” she screams as he pushes his tongue into her mouth grinding his hips into her. She could feel his length harden and it made her completely sick to her stomach.  
No. this stops now. She wasn’t going to allow herself to be raped by her husband. She wasn’t going to be a victim. She was strong. This stops now. She stops the struggling and allows her husband to kiss her passionately. She allows him to think he’s winning. She spreads her legs allowing him to slip a thigh between her. “That’s it baby. Come back to me. I know what you like.” She moans in his mouth as she scratches his scalp. The tension in his muscles loosen as he falls into the kiss. He lifts his hips a little and Regina slams her knee into his groin. Daniel screams loudly in pain as he rolls over clutching his stomach. Hot tears streak down his face “You fucking bitch!” he gasps for a breath of air.

Regina stumbles up from the ground and whips her mouth with the back of her hand. She runs to the hallway and grabs the keys on the table. She runs out the front door and towards the driveway the brunette hops into her Mercedes in a panic. She needed to get to Emma. Fuck she didn’t have her cell. She just needed to get out of Storybrooke. She’ll find a gas station and call the blonde but she needed to put as much distance between her and the fucking people who ruined her life.  
-=-=-=-=-=-

Daniel lies on the ground groaning. He hears the soft click of heels on the hardwood floor and he rolls his eyes knowing who it is. 

“My my, you’re as pathetic as I thought. You weren’t man enough to keep her and you weren’t man of enough to make her stay.”

“What do you want?” he rolls over on his back. 

“Bring her back.”

“I can’t force her to stay Cora. She knows about everything.”

“You fool! Do you know how much I have riding on this?” she moves her heeled boot right in to his ribs. Daniel flinches back and groans “You want me to chase her and bring her back?” he coughs as he moves to get to his feet. “We can’t force her. She’s probably on her way to the sheriff.”

“My daughter has always been single minded. She is most likely driving back to Boston to get to her… Leave now you can catch up with her before Regina reveals our plans to anyone.”

He moves over to the table and he grabs the keys to his truck. Emma is a cop and if Regina gets to her they could blow the top off of everything. Too many things were at stake. He closes the door and puts the keys in the ignition. It’s only been about thirty minutes. Regina couldn’t be that far away.  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
The sky darkens as the clouds slowly release moisture. Small droplets hit Regina’s windshield, she always hated driving in the rain. She slows down a bit because speeding makes her feel uneasy. She should be fine and soon enough she will see the blonde and it will be ok. She hit the interstate and she released a shaky breath. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. She drove mile after mile and no gas station. She needed to get in contact with Emma. She couldn’t relax until she hears her voice. The wipers move faster as the rain gets heavier. Chocolate eyes strain to see ahead of her. The car lights flicker on as the clouds block out the sun.  
After thirty minutes she sees the sign indicating the gas station in 3 miles. She presses on the accelerator. The car comes to a halt as she jogs her way to the payphone. Shaky fingers punch in the numbers she memorized by heart. The receiver comes to life as the phone rings and rings but no answer her heart melts as Emma’s voice mail starts Hey this is Emma Swan. I’m not available so please leave a message and I’ll call you back…

“Emma? It’s Regina. Listen I am not at the hotel…long story Mother came and took me back to him. I argued with Daniel, he tried to” her voice breaks with anguish. “I left. My mother said… God Emma s-she said she would... I am so scared. I stopped at a gas station. I’m driving. I am coming back to you. Please just wait for me. I love you Emma. I love you so much.” Regina hangs up her phone feeling the panic fill her.

Emma. 

She will be safe once she’s with Emma.  
-=-=-=-=-  
Daniel gritted his teeth and he pushed harder on the gas pedal. How could Regina do this to him? He never in a million years would have thought that she would do something like this. She was always naive and trusting. She obeyed her mother's every word and she was no different as a wife. What could Emma have done to make Regina change so much? How dare Regina embarrass him this way? There was no way Cora would tolerate such disobedience from Regina or failure on his part. He had sacrificed too many years of his life to fail. He had to stop Regina at any cost.

Spotting a Mercedes the same color and model as Regina's Daniel pulled up alongside her to verify the driver’s identity. 

He found her! 

Regina noticed him as well and accelerates to escape him, she weaves in and out of traffic to try and lose him. Daniel growls and follows after her getting dangerously close in an attempt to tail gate. The truck speeds up the speedometer reading eighty.

Growing frustrated with Regina's attempt to avoid him Daniel zooms in and taps her bumper with his in an attempt to run her off the road. Daniel watched in horror as Regina's car careens wildly out of control, spinning in vicious circles on the slick road. The tires make a loud screeching noise as the brunette hits her brakes unable to control the spinning car and crashes over the median before screeching to a halt on the opposite side of the highway. 

The loud blare of an eighteen wheeler rang out along with the scream of tires on pavement as the eighteen wheeler tries to brake. The horrible sound of metal crashing into metal rang through the air as the massive truck crushed Regina's Mercedes into itself.  
Pulling over on the side of the road Daniel eyes widen as tries to wrap his mind around what he had just witnessed. There was no way Regina could have survived that. The truck collided with the driver’s side of the car. Trying to calm his shaking hands Daniel pulled out his cell phone and dials Cora's number.

"Did you catch her?" Cora answers the phone without a greeting.

"We have a problem... T-there was an accident... I think she's dead Cora!" Daniel tried to keep his voice steady but it was difficult as his vision becomes blurred with tears.

“I don't see a problem at all Daniel, in fact I see the perfect solution. She was going to die anyway. Now get back here and make sure no one sees you." Cora said without a hint of emotion in her voice. Daniel was struck at the apathy Cora displayed. That was her daughter! Her only child!

"Daniel, do you understand me? You solved our problem don't ruin it by getting caught."

"Yes ma'am." He says through gritted teeth. He stares at the totaled vehicle. No one could have survived that. He murdered his wife. He takes a moment to breathe deeply then moves the gear into drive and speeds off into the night.  
-=-=-=-=-=--=-  
“Mom?”

Regina’s eyes flutter open. Her body lurches up with the need to vomit. The feels a crushing pain radiate all over her body. She collapses back on the bed. Her muscles twitch and she cringes as the last remnants of pain dissipate. What the hell was that? The room was fuzzy; an opaque sheen filtered through her eyes. She couldn’t focus, everything was disjointed, the memories flashed in sequences but she eyes could make out the giant bookcase. The smell of vanilla. The softness in the bed sheets “Emma?” 

“She’s not here mom.”

Regina turns to the voice. Her eyes widen as she sees green staring back. She covers her mouth in shock.  
“Who are you?!” the brunette stumbles out of the bed. She feels her hair cascade in waves down her neck. The brunette walks over to the mirror. Brown eyes focus and take in her appearance. Her hair was long and thick and full of color. Her skin was glowing and flawless. What was this? 

“Mom you’re so beautiful” the boy crawls to the edge of the bed and smiles happily at her.

The brunette turns around and rests her palms on the dresser, her nails dig into the wood as she looks at the child. He had golden green eyes just like Emma her nose and crooked grin his hair was short and the same shade as hers. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Henry”

“Hello Henry.” She smiles sweetly to him. Her dad’s name was Henry. Her eyes float around as she looks around the apartment she was able to see clearly again, it was warm and full of life. Paintings hung and pictures were placed in frames. Toys riddled the floors. She tries to look out the window but she sees nothing but a soft glowing white “Is this a dream?”

The boy frowns as he looks outside the window with her “No mommy this is the in between”

“The in between of what?”

“Of here and there.” Henry giggles as he points up. She looks up to the direction he is pointing to and she gasps when she doesn’t see the stucco ceiling but stars millions and millions of stars riddle up in the heavens. They shined and glow in brilliant colors. It looked so vast and so comforting.

“I’m dead?” She shakes her head at her own statement. She didn’t expect this. She thought that death would be just that; A nothingness.  
The young boy nods sadly. For some reason she believes it then. Flashes come back to her. She was driving. Daniel. She lost control. She saw the lights heading towards her. 

“Emma.” Is all she utters as she takes her last breath. 

Emma.

“Why do you look like her?”

“Because I’m her son.” The boy says simply

“How is that even possible? Was she pregnant when I was alive?”

“No mom” he smiles at her rational way of thinking “I am of what could have been. My soul existed long before I could be physically created.”  
Her head was spinning. Souls. In between. life. Death. The spirit of her future baby? Where was the blonde and why does she feel her pain?

“I can take you to her. Would you like that?”

“Yes Henry. I would like that very much.”

Regina Mills-Stables  
Beloved Wife, Daughter, Leader  
1985 – 2013

Emma stumbles in the family mausoleum the thick coat drench from the rain, lightning flashes illuminating the small space that housed two coffins. Regina, her beloved, the woman who brought back purpose to her insignificant existence. 

She made her feel alive and right now her heart hurts with a constant agonizing pain. Her very soul aches with the thought that the person she held a week ago no longer exists. No longer breathes life….Regina is gone. 

Everything and Anything that held any meaning was lost. 

Emma knew that the moment their eyes met that she was supposed to be with her. She needed to talk to her. The need, the pull, Regina knocked Emma to the ground with her beauty. A smile that would melt any heart. A laugh that saturated your soul. The meaning of happiness and it no longer exists. 

It settles in the heart like a cancer that seeps through the veins, coursing and corroding to every inch of your body as it kills you slowly. Emma couldn’t handle this. Regina was supposed to be her chance at actually happiness. They were happy. She was supposed to be driving back to her. They were in love and it was ripped away. Regina was going to give up her live to be with her. They were going to finally be everything that they wanted in life and they were going to be happy. 

She never got to say goodbye. She listened to that message a million times. Regina sounded so scared. She had a feeling when she dropped her off at the hotel; a sick feeling of dread but she pushed it off. She was out on patrol when she felt it. The drop in her stomach, the hair in the back of neck raised the pain in her heart. She even collapsed on the ground clutching her chest. 

Regina!

She was taken from her and all she wanted was her Regina back. She couldn’t breathe because Regina was her oxygen. She couldn’t eat because she lost her appetite. She lost the very will to live. The tiny room fills with the painfully heartbreaking sobs that rack the blonde’s fragile frame. Legs lose strength and crumble to the ground. Emma hugs the base that holds Regina’s final resting place. She holds on tightly as she cries for the broken chances and dead dreams. 

They were going to do everything. She was going to marry her, create a family with her; watch their children grow and welcome their grandchildren on to this earth. They would kiss, sate, caress each other till their skin loosen by age. 

They were supposed to grow old together.

They were supposed to say goodbye. 

“I love you” Regina whispers to the blonde who cried herself unconscious. She couldn’t feel any longer but she remembers the longing. She remembers the dull ache in the center of her chest when she thought of the blonde. She remembers the kisses that filled her with joy. She watched the woman she loved more than herself, fall apart. 

What they had was real. 

A love so strong that she felt it transcend all the worlds of the living and the dead. She remembers the pull to this woman so strongly she couldn’t resist her. Her spirit recognized Emma and it keeps her from walking into the warm inviting light. She couldn’t leave her Emma. She was in pain and she wished she could wrap her arms around the blonde. Assure her that she was with her. 

She would always be with her.

“I never thought mama would look so beautiful even when she cries.” The little boy says as he walks through the wall. 

“I think I fell in love with her the moment we met. She took me by surprise, I chocked.” She says smiling sadly remembering the night at Gold’s wedding. The little boy giggles “That looks like a wonderful way to meet.”

“What do you mean looks?”

“Mom I am a part of you. I can see what you see. Hear what you hear. I feel it too. And it hurts more than you let on. I wish you would come with me. I promise you we would no longer feel any pain.”

“My place is with your mother Henry. I belong here with her. I can’t live without her.”

“But mommy you are no longer alive. The pain you feel no longer exists without a body. What you feel are the memories of your body. It gets better.”

“I DON’T WANT IT BETTER. I WANT EMMA!” she shouts at the top of her lungs. Her eyes darken with rage. This wasn’t fucking fair!

“When it is her time you will see each other again. Soul mates will always find one another.”

The anger falters a bit as she collects herself “Soul mates? She’s my soul-“ Regina looks over to the blonde as the phantom tears fall down her eyes.

Henry smiles “Don’t you remember? That pull, when you first met?”

The brunette nods as she wipes nothing from her face. It’s all instinctual movements “That feeling was real Mom. You and Mama were always meant to happen.”

Regina turns to the small boy and kneels down to his level “I’m sorry Henry that we couldn’t be together long enough for you to be born.” She caresses his cheek lovingly “Emma would have made a wonderful mother.”

“One day we will all be together.” He says with a knowing smile as he leans into her touch he moves closer and kisses her nose then vanishes.

Regina stands back up and looks down at the blonde who is hugging her own body. She lies beside her. “How I wish you could feel me.” She wraps her arms around the woman she loves “I’m here my darling, I’ll never leave you. I love you.”

Emma whispers is a puff of cold air I love you too as her body shivers from the cold. 

The thing about true love is that it never comes easily. The reason it makes an epic story is because true love over comes obstacles. It is fought for. You have to earn it, bleed for it, cry and ache for it because the moment you realize that this is your other half…you would do anything, absolutely anything to have it.  
=============================================================================================================  
A/N: Thoughts? 

I liked to thank my beta Gemilh; she encourages me tremendously and we have long deep discussions about where we are taking this. Plus thank her patience and good eye for grammatical errors. AngelofLight, thanks because you put up with my obsessive rants about this story.

And last of all to all of my readers, Thank you. For following and commenting. You read this with an open mind and embrace me as one of your own and I truly, deeply appreciate that.

I know that most of you hate me by now but this moment; this scene was what created this whole story. Emma and Regina share a bond that’s stronger than anything, even death. I promise you that it doesn’t end here and if you decide to continue on this journey with me I assure you that they will find peace and happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story is not over.


	7. Chapter 7

Till Kingdom Come

A/N: Thank you everyone for the responses and pm's. This story is not over just took an unexpected turn. Pay attention some questions will be answered here! Thank you Gemilh, my awesome beta and This chapter was co-written with AngelofLight. Hope you guys enjoy.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Part VII

Emma finally managed to pry herself away from the tomb that held her beloved. With one last heartbroken look at the cast of concrete before pushing aside the door and wiping the linger tears on her cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" a cold voice greeted her. Emma looked around before her eyes fell upon Cora. That was Regina's mother, the woman who hit her and gave her that scar.

"I came to… to say goodbye," Emma swallowed the lump in her throat around the word goodbye. It was so final and left a bitter taste on her tongue.

"You have no right to be here. You marred my daughter with your obscenities enough in her life I don't need you to taint her final resting place nor that of my late husband's." Cora glared at the blonde before her. "Now I know you think you had some sort of special relationship with Regina but you are sorely mistaken."

"I didn't taint anything it's you who tainted her! You never cared about her or believed in her! You thought of her as something to control! You never loved her. And as for inventing a made up relationship you're the one whose delusional not me! She was in love with me and wanted to be with me! " Emma shouted back unable to control her emotions taking a few steps towards Cora in her rage. Cora remained indifferent her eyes narrowing. Emma spoke as if she knew things; personal things that were swept under the rug. Who was this woman? How did she get Regina to divulge her personal secrets?

"Word of advice dear, love is weakness…now Leave and never come back to this place Miss Swan or I will make sure that you regret it." Cora stared hard at Emma her voice full of a barely implied threat.

"You bet your ass I'll be back again and I will find out what really happened to Regina, mark my words. I know you and that pathetic excuse for a husband had something to do with it and I won't rest until I prove it." Emma growled as she stormed towards her motorcycle.

Cora watched as the blonde mounted the machine and rode off down the twisting roads that led out of the cemetery. Pulling out her cell phone she hit one of the numbers on speed dial and waited.

"Governor White speaking."

"Leo, dearest, I'm afraid we have a bit of a nuisance that needs taken care of," Cora said to her husband as she pushed the door stepping inside the mausoleum.

"What trouble are we dealing with now? Is this about Regina?"

"That blonde tramp was at the mausoleum visiting Regina's grave and it seems she is hard set on proving we had something to do with Regina's death." Cora gave a passing glance at the sarcophagus of her first husband. He was such a fool. She heard Leo let out a low grumble on the other end of the line.

"Surely there's nothing she can do." Leo said trying to placate his wife.

"I have a feeling she is going to become a thorn in our sides." She sighs as she traces Henry's name mindlessly.

"Then we'll just have to cut the roses down before it can sprout more thorns," Leo simply stated.

"I'm glad that we agree darling, I will see you at home for dinner." Cora smiled as she hung up the phone and turned to Regina's tomb. "Don't worry dearest daughter, your little whore will join you shortly in hell."  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The brunette stares out the window into nothingness. She finds herself always in Emma's loft when she's not seeking the woman out. She asked her son why she keeps coming to this place. He said it was because that's where she felt safe. When souls die they need a moment to transition. They find themselves in familiar safe places; allowing for the soul to come to terms so they can move on easily. The in between isn't meant to be forever.

"Regina.."

Regina turns at the voice calling her name recognizing the voice but not believing it. "Daddy," She breathed before slowly walking towards him before running when he outstretched his arms.

"Yes it's me, how I've missed you my little princess." Henry Sr. said as he wrapped his arms tightly around his little girl. She had grown into such a beautiful woman.

"Daddy I've missed you so much, I was so lost after you passed." Regina could feel tears building in her eyes inhaling deeply the scent she hadn't smelt since she was young, he smelled of aftershave and cigars.

"I never wanted to leave you Regina, I had no choice. I would never willingly leave you" he speaks as he kisses her temple.

Regina pulls back to look into his eyes "I know Daddy you were very sick."

Henry sighs heavily "That's not how I died sweetheart."

Regina's eyebrows knitted together in confusion "B-but.. Mother said you died as a result of your heart defect." Regina wiggles out of his embrace. What was her father talking about?

"Honestly by now you should know that Cora was full of lies, your mother and Leo were responsible for my death." Henry hated to burden his daughter with this grisly secret but she deserved the truth. The poor girl had been lied to enough in her life there was no reason it should continue in death.

"I don't understand. How were they responsible?" Regina pulled back slightly from her father. Surely her mother couldn't have managed to pull off murder and get away with it.

"I can show you" Henry said bringing Regina over to his side concentrating on showing her his memories.

Regina gasped as she was transported back in time through her father's recollections. She saw her mother and father when they were young. They appeared to be around her own age. She saw their courtship and their wedding, and they seemed happy.

"Ah Cora my love, this is my good friend Leopold White. Leo, this is my beautiful wife Cora," A young Henry beamed as he introduced his old friend to his new wife.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. White," Cora said with a demure smile.

"Please call me Leo, and the pleasure is all mine, Cora." Leo said with a charming smile taking Cora's hand in his and placing a kiss upon the top of it. Henry clapped his hands together with a grin leading his friend deeper into the house so they could talk shop as Cora made them dinner.

"This was the beginning of my downfall" the older man said to Regina as he showed her the memory. "I never should have trusted Leo nor introduced him to your mother."

"You were friends with Leo White?" Regina said incredulously. Thinking about how much she despised that man.

"A very long time ago sweetheart," Henry said as he soothed a hand over Regina's hair. "There is more for you to see."

The scene changed and an older Cora and Leo stood before her.

"I don't know how much more of this I can tolerate Leo, we need to move along with our plan." Cora paced back and forth across the room.

"We just need to wait a little longer my love before we can finish this. Come back to bed." Leo gestured for Cora to join him in the spacious bed. "Soon Henry will be out of the way, you will be rich, and we won't have to resort to hotel rooms to see each other."

"We need to speed things up Leo," Cora sighed as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. "The man is insufferable. He has all of this money and power and no idea how to use it. And he fills Regina's head full of fantasies. He's making her as useless as he is."

"The girl is all Henry I hate to say," Leo twirled a lock of Cora's hair around his finger.

"I believe you're right. Hopefully with Henry out of the way I can reverse the damage he has done. He indulges her every whim and encourages these ridiculous dreams of art. There is no practicality in his actions. He will lead us all to ruin. I've come too far to become a penniless fool." Cora said with conviction.

"You won't Cora, you will soon be a very rich woman with land and power." Leo smiled at the brunette before him. He was just as eager as she was to put their plan in motion and get rid of Henry.

"That's what I've always wanted," Cora smiled at the thought. She lays her head back on his naked shoulder.

"And you will have it. I'll make sure of it." Leo pulls the woman's chin towards him and he kisses her forcefully.

Regina turned horrified eyes to her father. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. "They were lovers?!"

"Indeed they were but they are also soul mates, so it was inevitable." He shrugs sadly.

"But she always said love was a weakness."

"And Leo is her weakness that's why they kept their marriage a secret. She wouldn't allow anyone to use this against them."

Regina shakes her head in disbelief "Daddy this can't be true, I don't understand I thought that love wouldn't allow a person to do such vile things."

"I'm afraid it is sweetheart. Love can be pure but it can also be evil. The soul connects to its other half. A person can be good or bad or both it all comes down to what drives them; Cora and Leo were always driven by greed and power. I couldn't believe it at first either but it is true. Even though it was Daniel who caused the accident they are responsible for your death as well."

"But why?" Regina couldn't believe any of this. It was too much to process.

Henry hung his head. "I'm afraid I might also be responsible for that. I thought I was providing you with a future but instead I gave you a death sentence. I'm sorry precious."

Regina looked as the scenery changed once more.

Cora sat before her a vision in black. Regina remembered that dress from her father's funeral. She remembered thinking at the time how tragically beautiful her mother looked that day. But to see her now she was a vision of anger.

"How could he leave it to her?" Cora fumed. Leo sat behind the desk holding a legal document in his hands rereading the words.

"She doesn't gain control of the deed to the mines or the trust fund until her thirtieth birthday." Leo said as he read over the will.

"It doesn't matter! He screwed us over! He screwed ME over!" Cora hissed as she threw a chair. "How could he leave control of something like that to a child? She will have no idea what to do with it!"

"Cora calm down. She doesn't gain access to it until she's thirty and that is long time from now." Leo tried to remain level headed in the wake of the brunette's rage.

Cora paused in her pacing and stopped to think for a moment. That might be the key.

"What are you thinking?"

"Regina never has to know about this," Cora said as she calmed down.

"How is she not going to know about this?" Leo frowned in confusion.

"It's simple dearest. She won't live long enough to inherit the titles or the money. If she were to die tragically in some sort of accident than all of her assets would fall to the executor of her estate…. Which would naturally be her mother," Cora gave a cold smile. Yes, that would work out nicely.

"I underestimated your determination. I never thought you would go so far as to kill your own daughter to obtain your goals."

"I will do whatever I need to in order to get what I want, look at Henry. Nothing will stand in my way, not my foolish husband and not my ungrateful daughter." Cora said with conviction.

"Then let me be on your side instead of in your way." Leo grinned.

Regina fell back and landed on Emma's bed. Her mother had planned this all along. Cora never loved her father, and she never loved Regina. They were merely pawns on a chess board for Cora to move around to best suit the needs of the queen. Anger, confusion and sadness warred for dominance in her chest.

"I'm sorry princess… I never wanted you to be touched by this, but you deserve to know the truth." Henry sat beside his daughter and placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. He wishes he could take her pain away, give her the life that she deserved. He wishes he could go back in time and see Cora for what she truly was. A heartless witch.

Regina stays silent for a few moments. She stares at the stars shining in the ceiling. "You owned the mines in Storybrooke?"

Henry nods as he looks around the loft. "I owned Storybrooke or well I inherited the land. It belonged to our family for many generations."

Regina was trying to wrap her head around all of this. Her mother murdered her father, the governor was her accomplice and where does Daniel fit into this?

Henry sighs reading his daughter's thoughts "This is not from my memories but I was always watching over you. I truly wished I could have been around to stop Cora. You deserved so much better in life. I never liked Daniel." He presses his hand on her shoulder and the images roll in her mind.

Daniel walked out of the financial aid building all but defeated. How on earth was he supposed to come up with next semester's tuition in time? He knew pursuing his dream of practicing law was going to be challenging but he didn't realize how difficult it would actually be. He didn't come from money but his parents were able to provide him with the necessities. He had inherited their work ethic but no matter how many jobs he worked he doubt he could come up with enough money to continue his passion.

"Excuse me young man, but may I speak with you for a moment?"

Daniel turned at the voice and saw a tall brunette in her mid-forties standing behind him. "Uh of course, how can I help you?"

"I'm sorry but I couldn't help but overhear your troubles and I'd like to make you an offer. I have something that I need help securing and if you would be so kind as to assist me I will pay for your tuition."

Daniel was floored. This woman must be joking. He stopped and took a more critical look at the woman before him. She was wearing expensive looking clothing and she gave off an air of fortune. Still he found it hard to believe her offer.

"I'm sorry but who are you?" Daniel asked. The woman's lips pulled back into a smile that held no warmth.

"How rude of me, my name is Cora Mills-White." She extends her hand.

"I'm Daniel Stables." Placing his hand into her gloved fingers and shakes.

"Oh I know all about you Mr. Stables. I did not come here on a whim to ask you for help. I've done a little digging into your past and I'm convinced you are the one who can help me. Come let's talk somewhere more private," Cora turned and led him to a sleek black town car and climbed into the back seat. Against his better judgment Daniel followed her.

"What could I possibly do for you that no one else could? What do you need securing?" he asks as his eyes look around the luxury vehicle.

"My daughter's attention."

His brown eyes snap back to look at the older woman "Excuse me?"

"I need you to seduce my daughter and convince her to remain on the path I have laid before her. I want you to make her fall in love with you, and I want you to have her do as I say." Cora reclined back into the leather seat.

"You want me to what? You want me to make your daughter fall in love with me?" How on earth was Daniel supposed to do this? He didn't even know what this girl looked like!

"Yes, I thought I was quite clear. You will do this and in return I will pay for your college tuition and nurture your law career. You will want for nothing. My husband holds a lot of political power and can easily help you join the most prestigious law firms. You could even become partner. All you have to do is get a pretty girl to fall in love with you, and stay in love with you." Cora placed a manila envelope in Daniel's lap.

Glancing at Cora before opening the envelope Daniel felt his breath catch in his throat. Cora's daughter was beautiful. Long chocolate brown hair fell in waves down her back accompanied by warm amber brown eyes. She wore a smile that was warm and full of life so unlike her mother's.

"What is her name?" he stares at the Regina's photo in wonder.

Pleased with the look on the man's face, she answers "Regina, Regina Mills. Do we have a deal, Mr. Stables?"

"Yes.. You have yourself a deal Mrs. Mills-White." He says as he glances back at the photo licking his lips.

"Excellent." Cora's cold smile stretched across her face in satisfaction. Leo would be pleased. They were one step closer to reaching their ultimate goal.

Regina gasps. How could they? Her whole life has been one lie after the next. Expect for Emma. The thought of her warms her insides. She brings calmness to her soul. Everything she ever loved was taken away from her. How was it the bad guys were winning?

Henry looks out the window "I wish you had more time with her. She seemed like a very lovely woman."

A small smile breaks Regina's face. "She was wonderful, I never felt like that before. We fell head over heels in love. I was careless and reckless and spontaneous. She made me laugh so hard. She let me draw daddy... I….I'm so happy to know what real love was before I died…."

"Me too princess"

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"Emma? It's Regina. Listen I am not at the hotel…long story Mother came and took me back to him. I argued with Daniel, he tried to… I left. My mother said… God Emma s-she said she would... I am so scared. I stopped at a gas station. I'm driving. I am coming back to you. Please just wait for me. I love you Emma. I love you so much." 

I love you Emma. I love you so much.

I love you so much.

Emma replays the voicemail over and over. It was the only way to keep herself grounded. Since Regina's death the blonde was on a downward spiral, depression hit her hard. There is something that happens when you lose someone you deeply care about. Something changes within you, it's like a piece of you dies along with them. Emma built walls for this very reason. She was burned so many times after her parents died. Falling in love was never in her plans but when falling in love ever is? Love comes unexpectedly like a tidal wave dragging you helplessly. Emma was knocked over, dragged and drowned in the undercurrents. She sunk to the very depths and found refuge in the abyss that was Regina.

That voicemail, her lover's last words left so many questions and clues. She knew it in her bones that this was no ordinary accident. Regina was running and called her panicking. Cora, that fucking bitch took her back to her husband and Daniel did something to make her run. She needed to find the answers; she wanted revenge for those who took her way from the blonde. She wanted to honor her lover by seeking justice.

She listens to the voicemail one more time before she puts her cell phone in her pocket. Turning on her motorcycle she drives deeper into the quiet little town of secrets.

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Neal paused as he saw movement catch his attention from the corner of his eye. He was staying with his father in Storybrooke nursing his wounded pride and broken heart after Emma rejected his proposal. He respected Emma for being honest with him and wished her all the happiness in the world, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. He wants her happy but he wanted to be the reason for that happiness. She told him that she found someone else and it wouldn't be fair to him if she stayed. Either way it sucked. Being around dear old dad and his new wife Belle wasn't really helping matters either. He was happy for them but it was a constant reminder of what he didn't have.

Moving closer towards Daniel's house he let himself in and followed the perpetrator up the stairs and into Daniel's study. Grabbing a nearby miniature statue that sat on display close to the door Neal flicked the light switch on and prepared to club the burglar in the head.

"Hold it right there!... Emma?" Neal lowered his makeshift weapon in shock at the sight of his ex-girlfriend staring at him in surprise. For all intents and purposes Emma looked like a cat burglar dressed in a black turtleneck sweater and dark jeans to match. She even had a black beanie on her head.

"Neal... I uh..." Emma fumbled for an explanation obviously not planning on being caught.

"Em, what are you doing? Last time I checked you were a cop not a robber," Neal put the statue down and moved closer to the blonde.

"Well doing things by the book wasn't really working out for me so I decided to try something faster." Emma relaxed her body language as well.

"What are you looking for?"

"Proof," Emma said simply. "Proof that Daniel and Cora were responsible for Regina's death."

"Regina?" Neal's eyes softened. "She's the one…" he pauses as he looks into her green eyes. He notices the pain that shines through and it tugs at his heart. Regina was who she fallen for. Wow. He could have flipped out on her but he cared too much to hurt her even more. He knows what it's like to lose someone you loved and Emma lost it in the most horrible way. He takes a deep breath. "You really believe they did it?"

Emma's defenses lower as she feels no threat coming from her ex, "You didn't hear the voicemail she left Neal." Emma's voice shook with emotion and she swallowed around the lump in her throat. "You didn't hear the fear or the pain or the desperation in her voice. They did this to her I know it. I just have to prove it." She goes back to the drawer she picked open.

"You won't find any proof because there is no proof." A new voice said from the dark hallway. Daniel stepped into the light of the room and frowned at his longtime friend. "I'm not entirely surprised to see her here but I am surprised to see you Neal. Don't tell me she seduced you into helping her. I know you wanted to marry her but surely she's not that good of a fuck that you would betray your best friend."

Emma let out a snarl at the implication and moved around the desk and closer to the widow. "I know you did something to her!" she places her hands on his chest and shoves him back.

"Do not touch me!" Daniel barks losing his balance and stumbles back.

"Whoa. Wait everyone calm down." Neal says as he places his body to stand between the two.

"Me?" Daniel looks at his friend in astonishment. "This fucking bitch broke into my home! She has no right to be here after what she did to my wife!" he points an accusing finger towards the cop.

"What I did?" Emma yells loudly pressing her body against Neal's back trying to move closer to Daniel. She wanted to rip his face off. She did nothing but love Regina.

"You turned her against me! You seduced her."

"We fell in love!"

"Fuck you! She loved me!" he jerks his thumb into his chest.

"Actually she didn't."

"What?" Daniel pauses for a moment.

Emma smirks "Regina didn't love you. She wasn't thinking about you at all when she was in my bed."

"You fucking bitch" He moves his hand up to grab her and Emma moves quickly and intercepts his wrist, twisting it around his back. She pushes him against the desk.

"What the fuck is this!?" she twists his hand up more making him cry in pain. She notices the scratch marks on his hand. "Answer me!" she tugs his arm up more now seeing red.

"I ….I… it was a dog." He quickly explains

Neal moves closer to see what was making the blonde so upset. Four red lines run along his skin. He thinks about Daniel's statement and quickly assesse that he was lying. What the fuck is going on?

"Dan…seriously what's going on?"

Daniel pushes his body backwards and knocks the blonde back releasing her hold. Rage fills his eyes as his clenched fist hits the cops face. Emma stumbles back more covering the injured skin. "Come on you bitch." Daniel wiggles his fingers egging the woman on. Neal pushes his body into his friends knocking him to the ground. "What the fuck Neal!?" he try to push Neal off of him.

"Daniel you punched her! Since when the fuck you go around punching women!"

"She took her from me! She was mine!" his eye burn with angry tears.

"Regina didn't belong to anyone!" Emma spats. She wipes her face with the back of her hand; she notices the crimson staining her skin. Snarling she grabs the gun from her holster her actions blinded by her anger. She walks up to the man on the ground. Pushing the barrel of the gun into his skin, "She called me she said you did something to her. What the fuck did you do?" she growls

"Emma back off! You can't do this!" Neal begs with Emma. He's never seen her so angry. Her eyes darken with lust to avenge. She's not thinking clearly.

"Why the fuck not? She's gone because of them! I fucking know it." She jerks the gun forward. Daniel closes his eyes. He was completely terrified, this was the first time a gun was facing him.

"You can't find out the truth in prison! And that's what they'll do. You don't know Cora."

Neal's words play in her mind. She needed answers but this wasn't the way. She presses the gun on his temple making sure it leaves a mark, "You will pay," her voice is dangerously low as she threatens the man on the ground, she watches as he swallows the lump in his throat. Fucking pussy she thinks as a smirk cracks her face and pulls back.

Daniel releases a breath. "Get the fuck out of my house!" He shouts trying to scrap up whatever dignity he had left.

Something snaps in Emma and she whips her gun back out and pistol-whips Daniel on the side of the head leaving him unconscious.

Emma storms out the house with Neal following quickly behind. "Emma what the fuck is wrong with you!"

"He attacked me first Neal. He's fucking lucky I didn't arrest his ass." Her fists tremble with rage as she spits the blood in her mouth.

Neal notices that the woman he loves is hanging from a string. She looks tired and hungry. He slowly moves closer to her, taking carful steps. When he notices that she's not flinching away, he pulls the woman into his arms.

"It's ok Em."

Emma tries to push him off at first the need to reject any comfort is necessary. Accepting comfort means accepting reality and this reality was too much to handle. She's never coming back… she grips tightly onto his jacket as she starts to sob. "It's not ok. S-she's gone. She was my everything." Neal holds Emma as they fall to the ground. Her body finally collapses, over-whelmed from all the anguish. "She loved me. I never got to tell her goodbye. I never got to say I loved her!" her body shakes as she tries to speak.

"I know Em. She knew okay? She knew she was loved. It's going to be ok." He promises at that moment that he will be there for her. Not romantically but in whatever capacity Emma needed him. Something was off… With his best friends behavior and how fast Regina's funeral came. He always felt uneasiness with Cora whenever she came around. He will help Emma. They will do this to honor the woman that Emma loves. It's the least he could do.

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"Miss Swan I can bathe myself" the brunette huffs as Emma rubs the rag all over her back. The soap suds bubble and pop on her skin releasing the sweet vanilla cinnamon aroma. 

"Yeah but where's the fun in that?" Emma smiles as she focuses her movement to lather every inch of rich olive skin. Golden green eyes watch the soap slide down the contours of Regina's body swallowing thickly with the need to touch. 

"Keep this up Emma; a girl could get use to this kind of pampering" Regina moans as the cops fingers forgo the rag and rub the brunette's breasts with her soapy hands. 

"I don't mind catering to your every whim Regina…" the blonde says as she leans closer, her hips press against the brunette's ass; her thin lips kiss and suck on the water drenched neck.

"I've never… oh Em-ma…" the cops fingers squeeze the firm breasts and pinches and tugs on the pebbled flesh. 

"You don't know how much I love hearing my name fall from your lips like that." Emma turns the mayor and presses her against the tiled wall. Lips collide in a fervent kiss. How does this kind of passion even exist? How is it even possible to want a person so much but you already have them? It's like her mind was screaming for more as the blonde's fingers found its way between her legs; fingers pressed on her swollen clit housed between drenched folds. It wasn't enough. She needed more. Wanted more and none of it was enough. She wants everything and anything the blonde can give. 

Emma kisses her deeply as a moan emanates from the back of her throat when she presses on the clit rotating in small circles. It's deliciously painful. A fucking tease. Emma stays on her clit, the feeling is so intense it hurts and aches everywhere. The brunette claws and scratches on any available skin. Her body twitches and tries to pull away from Emma but the wall keeps her in place. Teeth bite down on skin as she whines desperately for release. 

"Please. Oh god…just" she slams her head against the wall. Teeth bite down on her already battered lip. The tension builds as every muscle in her body are trembling with the impending release. "Fuck Emma" she screams loudly as the blonde continues her assault on her overly sensitive clit. Regina raises her body to the tips of her toes. Every nerve ending was on fire. So close. Her heart pounds wildly as blood rushes to her head. Oh god she doesn't know how much longer she can survive this. The passion, the intensity, It's so overwhelming. She is making noises that she didn't even know she could make. Emma is taking her to a new level of ecstasy. 

Emma latches her lips on the brunette's clavicle and sucks hard marking the flushed skin. Regina was hers. Emma grabs one of the brunette's legs, spreading her widely as she hooks it on her waist the brunette lifts her other leg wrapping them around the blonde as she moves her hips down from the action the blonde thrust two long fingers in. Regina's body convulses wildly as she climaxes. Chocolate orbs roll back as she screams and moans over and over, her hips jerk up and down riding her orgasm out for as long as she can. 

"I love you Emma." Regina says weakly as her body loses its strength. She wraps her arms tightly around the blonde's neck. 

Emma slides down the wet tiles of the shower as her body racks with painful sobs. The memories of them together hurt so much inside; an agony that renders her useless. Her loft that became their home now became her prison; her hell. Every inch of the apartment reminded her of Regina. The pillow still lingered with her scent. Her green eyes once full of light and love now red lined and puffy. The moment she enters the loft she cries. It's been a month and it's not getting better.

She's trying so hard to live but she can't. She found a reason to but not she's gone. Waking up seems useless. Going to work takes so much out of her. David has to force her to eat. She's weak and thin. She's angry all the time. She snaps at anyone and everything.

She cries because it's the only thing she can do. She cries because she can't ever look into those beautiful brown eyes. She'll never hear Regina's rich enchanting voice again. She'll never touch or taste the most addictive olive skin. She longs for the brunette's fingers to caress her face. She wants to be held in Regina's safe arms. She didn't protect her and the guilt eats away inside her.

Emma stands in front of the foggy mirror her body shivers even though it's hot and steamy from the shower. She can just end it. She can stop all the pain. She can leave this place. She doesn't have any reason keeping her here. She was looking for answers but she couldn't even find them. Regina was taken from her and the people responsible slept soundly at night. She found the footage of Regina leaving the hotel with Cora. With help from Neal they spoke to the sheriff of Storybrooke and when she started to ask questions about Cora he warned her to stop digging that Cora was dangerous. That fucking bitch did something. She needed to know. But all leads came up empty.

Without Regina she feels empty.

She's thought about ending it before. Suicide plagued Emma's mind many times. It's so simple, a slice up the wrists. A slow leak of liquid till you fade into nothing.

She turns on the faucet, filling the sink up with water. The blonde submerges her hands into the cold water numbing her skin. Regina stands beside her. No. Please don't do this. She pleads to deaf ears. Emma her love is falling apart and she couldn't do a single thing to stop it. This can't happen! She needed to let the woman know she was with her. She'll always be with her! Love is strength but lost love makes you weak. Loneliness makes you desperate; the silence surrounds you and fills you with your own thoughts of worthlessness. She watches in horror as Emma's faded eyes stare at the razor. Tears leak down her face.

I'm alone. Emma thinks repeatedly in her mind. She was so lost in her despair.

Regina screams as her hand presses on the mirror when she moves closer. Emma's eyes gaze up and she gasps. Regina's eyes widen as well. Her hand print was left on the foggy mirror.

The hairs on Emma's neck rises as she senses something, she feels the cold radiating on her skin. A shiver ripples down her spine. "Regina…" she whispers her trembling hands release the razor as she covers her mouth and cries. She blinks repeatedly to look at the mirror then Emma lets out a laughing sob.

I'm here

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A/N: Thoughts, Feels? Your responses give me a push to keep writing. So keep pushing, Please... and I'll keep writing. Deal?


	8. Chapter 8

Till Kingdom Come

A/N: Hello and welcome current and new followers! The responses for the last chapter were mind-blowing. I know that this chapter took longer to come out but this is finally a draft that I felt comfortable with, I hope you guys enjoy. I do respond individually to all reviews and I wanted to extend my thanks to those of you that chose to remain Anons. Thank you.   
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VIII.

Emma sat on her bed still wrapped in her towel unable to wipe the enormous smile that threatened to crack her face in two. The muscles strained from lack of use over the past month but Emma didn't care. Regina was here! They found a way to each other. Now Emma just needed to find a way to communicate back.

"Regina?" Emma called out into the room not really sure if she expected a response. "Regina I know you're here. Please baby give me another sign you're here. I don't know how to talk to you." Her leg shakes nervously as she waits in the silence her eyes scanning the room for movement.

Regina was ecstatic that Emma knew she was there. The blonde already looked lighter than she had since Regina had passed away. She looked around trying to find something to prove to Emma that she was still with her. She smiles when she spots the sketch she drew the morning after she and Emma made love for the first time, she walks over to the bed side table where she left it and willed herself to be to able pick the paper up and hand it to Emma. After a few useless attempts she focuses all her energy she was finally able to pick it up but the sketch fell right through her hands to the floor. Emma noticed the paper fall out of the corner of her eye and dove across the room to pick it up becoming exuberant when she recognized what the paper contained. Her eyes darted around the room frantically as if she could spot her brunette love.

"Regina…I…I don't even know what to say here…I have so many questions but I just want to see you…I just." Her voice breaks as she grasps her towel, pressing it tighter against her skin.

Regina tries to touch the blonde but her fingers pass right through her. Phantom tears build up in her eyes as she desperately tries to will her spirit to touch Emma. "Please. Please I just need to comfort her." The brunette says to the empty space.

"Focus on your love mom." the little boy says sitting crossed legged on the dresser playing with a yo-yo.

"Henry?" Regina turns to her son's voice "What are you doing here?"

"I watch over her too Mom. You saved her..." He gives her a sad smile. He plays back the memory and Regina sees it in vivid detail.

"How did I do that?" she moves closer towards him reaching her hand out to hold his.

"Love…Mommy, love can make us do the impossible." The yo-yo vanishes from his hand as his small fingers wrap around his mother's hand.

"So she can see me?"

The boy nods his head "Mama has to think about you, she has to focus on your love and you can connect to her. Your souls will find each other. She just has to focus on the happy thoughts." Henry jumps off the dresser using Regina's hand as support he leads them over to Emma who sits on the bed eyes scanning the room. He gives Regina an encouraging smile and kisses Emma on her cheek. Emma immediately presses her hand against her skin and smiles excitedly. The coldness on her flesh ripple throughout her body sending a blanket of warmth that fills her with love.

Henry presses his body into Regina's arms, she can feel him frowning "What's wrong darling." She pushes his hair out of his eyes.

"I just want you both to be happy but touching the living is against the rules."

Regina kneels to his level concern etching her brown eyes, "against what rules?"

"We're not supposed to haunt the living. Allowing them to know we are here just gives them a reason to not let go b-but I don't understand how this is bad? She was so sad before she almost took her life and now look at Mama. I just want her to be happy." He says as he stares at the smile on his living mother's face.

"I want that too."

Turning back to look in brown eyes "Just remember Mom, we can't stay here. You have to help her move on. Then we have to go."

"I don't know if I can leave her."

"When your time is up… you won't have a choice." He giggles and kisses her nose before vanishing

Regina stares at the empty space for a moment then she turns when she hears her named called by the blonde's soothing voice. The features on the blonde's face begin to falter. "Regina…please…"

Regina kneels in front of the cop. She studies the face she loves so much. Emma's green eyes glisten with tears. The older woman closes her eyes focusing on all the love she has for Emma. She presses her hand on Emma's heart. The blonde takes a sharp breath in.

Close your eyes. The whispering voice says in a calming soothing tone. Emma closes her eyes. Her brow scrunches as she is greeted by darkness. "Baby…?"

Think of me, my darling the blonde's skin shivers as a coldness surrounds her. She squeezes her lids tighter. She thinks of Regina. Her soulful chocolate orbs that she loved to stare at, her luscious lips she loved kissing, her short brown hair she loved to run her fingers through, her sun kissed skin she loved to touch, her smile, the way she said Emma in reverence, the safeness in her arms, the way her heart pounded next to her, her voice… she focused on the voice and then she feels a warmness at the center of her chest. It glows as it pulsates with every beat of her heart. Open your eyes….

Green eyes flutter open and she gasps as she sees Regina staring back at her.

"Hey…"  
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Mary Margaret looked at her husband as they drove to Emma's apartment. He was starting to become almost as pale as his partner and he had purple bruises forming underneath his eyes from the lack of sleep. Mary Margaret hoped that they could get through to Emma soon not just for her sake but for that of her husbands as well. She tried to warn Emma that a relationship with the mayor would end in heart break but Emma was too stubborn to listen. Mary Margaret didn't realize just how bad the fallout would be. She was sad that Regina had died; it's tragic when anyone dies in an accident but she was more concerned for her friend.

"David, are you sure you're alright?" Mary Margaret reached out to take his hand in hers. He gave her a weak squeeze of reassurance.

"I'm fine Mary Margaret. There's no need to worry over me, Emma is the one who needs your concern." David said with a small smile.

Mary Margaret gave a sigh. "I know. I feel so terrible for her. I knew it would end with her in pain." She shakes her head just thinking about Emma.

"Although it's not the circumstance you predicted. Regina didn't leave because she wanted to. She didn't have a choice, they were in love." David pointed out.

"Didn't she, David? She left Boston on her own. She didn't kill herself but she did leave on her own. You don't do that to someone you "love"." Mary Margaret argued.

"I wouldn't say that to Emma," David said sternly. That would have a catastrophic effect. He knew about the investigation Emma was conducting on the side. He was there when they got the footage of Regina leaving the hotel with her mother. Emma told him about the confrontation with the brunette's husband and he was very grateful that Neal was there to protect her.

"You're right she's not ready to hear that." She brunette sighs as she crosses her arms and looks out the window.

David pulls up outside of Emma's apartment and parks his car getting out first to open the door for his wife. Together they made the daunting trek into the building worried of what they might find. They stopped by every Sunday to check up on Emma, they would have lunch and help clean up the beer bottles riddled throughout the loft. Most of the time Emma would stay silent and stare out the window.

David takes his spare key out, he knocks on the door before he places the key in but the door jolts open. "Hey guys." Emma says with a bright smile.

Mary Margaret and David looked at the woman like she sprouted two heads. This wasn't the Emma they were taking care of. The Emma they spent nights worrying about. This Emma was smiling, actually smiling. Mary Margaret is the first to respond "Hello Sweetie. You look good today."

Emma takes a deep breath puffing out her chest a little, "I feel good. I actually slept last night."

"That's terrific."

"Why are you just standing there come in." she opens the door wider allowing her friends to step in. Their eyes examine the room and the first thing they notice is that it's clean. No beer bottles, no half eaten box of pizza, even the bed was made.

"I have to say Emma, I'm relieved…It's been hard watching you grieve but I do think two months is a good amount of time to mourn." Mary Margaret says

"Honey…"David warns.

"What David I bet you're thinking the same thing. It's time Emma gets back out there. Oh maybe you can call Neal and go out to dinner!"

"I'm sorry what?" Emma's wide smile falters.

"I think its time that you start dating again. Find some happiness."

"The love of my life is dead and you want me to start dating?! Wow this is… I can't.. David!" she shakes her head profusely looking over to her partner as she points to the pixie haired woman.

David's mouth flaps open and shut a couple of times. He was completely dumfounded by his wife's audacity. "Mary Margaret. I think you may be out of line here."

"I know it may seem a bit harsh but it's the truth. Emma you have to move on with your life," Mary Margaret said turning to Emma.

"Move on? She just died Mary Margaret! We were in love!" Emma raised her voice.

"Emma you only knew her for a few months. She was married to someone else. Did you really think you would have a future together?" Mary Margaret looked at her almost pityingly.

"Yes! Yes we would have! We would have gotten a house together and had kids I don't know even get a fucking dog! And everything would've been perfect because we would have been together! We deserved that! We were robbed of that!" Emma shouted and paced the room.

"Yes you do deserve that but sweetheart you can still have it. Maybe you and Neal can give it another shot. He's the one who really cares about you." The brunette starts as she places her hand on the blonde's shoulder

Emma groans loudly and jerks away from the woman's touch "I don't want Neal! And Regina does care about me! She loves me! That's why she came to see me!" she clamps her mouth regretting the words rushed out in her rage.

"She did what?" Mary Margaret cast a worried look to David now very concerned for the mental health of the female blonde.

"What do you mean she came to see you?" David asks in a worried voice.

"You know what. Never mind. Just…." She walks swiftly to the door "I think it's time for you to go." Her fingers turn white as she grips the door tightly.

"What Emma… Please…"

"No Mary Margaret. Just stop. You completely disrespected her when she was alive and I didn't tolerate then and I won't tolerate now. She meant the world to me. I love her…" the tears well up in her eyes "As a friend it doesn't matter what we were doing was wrong. So we had an affair but every minute of that was real. We fell in love and we were going to start a life together and as my friend your job is to support me on that no matter how much you disagree. I would never be this judgmental with you." She shakes her head again wiping the free flowing tears with the sleeve of her shirt.

"Yeah honey it's time to go."

"But David."

"No I told you not to bring this up. I told you to not upset her. I love you so much but right now I am so disappointed in you. What Emma does with her life is up to her. You… out of all people should know that we don't choose who we love. I can only wish Emma for that gift and she had it. It was under unfortunate circumstances but she had it, lived it and knows what that kind of love exists. She'll move on or she won't but that's a decision she makes without you or anyone's coercion." David turns away from his wife and steps closer to his partner, pulling Emma into his arms with a fierce hug.

Emma releases a shaky breath; David is seriously one of the good ones. This is why she trusted him so much because he truly cares for her. She wished she grew up having a man like him around, a big brother or even a dad. He would make a wonderful father someday. She pulls back and looks in to his eyes. "Thank you and I'm sorry, you can come over anytime but maybe keep her away for a while."

She doesn't even look when the brunette huffs in anger. "I'll see you at work tomorrow?" she gives him a small smile.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow." He hugs Emma again and escorts Mary Margaret out.

Emma closes the door and walks over to the refrigerator, pulling out a beer she sits on the couch and looks out the bay windows. Her mind buzzes; a simple grin paints her face as she thinks about Regina...  
===============================================================================================================

"Hey..." Regina responds with a watery smile.

Hey.

Emma stares at the brunette for a moment. Hey. It was said so causally that the blonde starts to laugh. A deep down from the pit of her belly laugh that brings tears to her eyes. The feeling that overwhelms her heart at the moment is just… how does this even remotely makes sense? Watery green eyes take in the face looking back at her.

Regina looked even more beautiful than before. Her skin was completely flawless except the slash on her lip but still she shined of glowing copper. Regina would always be the most beautiful person Emma has ever seen. Her brown hair was long and braided in intricate braids on the top and the rest of her hair fell down in curls down her back. She was wearing an off white linen dress with an elaborate embroidered gold thread along her neck line. Emma was just in awe.

"I've always knew you were an angel." Pale hands tremble as they reach closer to the skin she longed to touch for so long and when they pressed against the olive skin she starts to cry. Fingers reach and claw at any available surface to pull the woman in to her arms. "How is this possible?!" Emma frantically says into Regina neck. "I am going crazy?!" she pulls Regina's face into a fierce kiss. All of it just feels so surreal.

The moment their lips meet Regina's stoic demeanor crumbles and she responses with a sobbing cry as they crash their lips together. Hungry kisses are sated by needy tongues.

"My darling! My Emma" she chants as she threads her fingers into Emma's golden hair. Pulling her closer to her mouth, the kiss deepens as Emma whimpers.

Needing to pull back from the lack of oxygen, the blonde pants "Baby… how…"

"Love" the brunette lets out a melodious laugh and presses her hand on the woman's heart. Emma gasps as she feels tiny jolts of current dance across her skin. "Our love Emma is and always will be special. My soul is a part of yours. That's why we felt that pull, that's why this is happening now."

"I love you Regina"

"I love you too Emma."

Those words she longed to hear danced around in her brain as fired through every neuron, she was loved and Regina was real. Emma pulls the woman on top of her. Regina rests her head on Emma's chest closing her eyes to the soothing sound of Emma's pounding heart. "I've missed you so much." the brunette whispers against the pale skin.

"I've missed you too. You said you would never leave me." Emma's fingers caress softly on Regina's silk skin.

"I didn't have a choice but I'm here now…"

"For how long?"

"Until I'm ready to cross over."

"Jesus that stuffs' real?"

"Apparently."

"So when do you know when it's time?"

"I'm not sure but Henry says that I have to help you and this isn't even allowed?" she shakes her head. Cause who would have thought that spirits had rules and regulations.

Emma raises her head to look at the brunette, "What's not allowed? And who's Henry?"

"I – Henry…" she smiles when she thinks of the small boy with her lover's eyes "He's a spirit that has been helping me. A boy….our son…"

"Our what?!" Emma shakes her head as Regina sits up.

"I'm not too sure I understand as well but our souls exist long before we are born. He is the spirit of the son we would have had if I was still here…."

"A son…" Emma says in awe and she smile just thinking about the family they would have created. Weekends spent at the park, throwing a football around. Mornings spent in the kitchen. Random wrestling matches. A life full of happiness, He would have been perfect. "What's he like?"

"Beautiful. He has your eyes and smile. He is so smart and kind. Do you remember right before I appeared to you, you felt a kiss on your cheek?" The blonde nods in remembrance "That was him. He loves you very much and wants you happy. He watches over you. He's been watching over us…"

"That's amazing. I wish I could meet him."

"One day my love. One day." They stay there for a long time in silence just enjoying the feel of being near each other again. Not many get to have moments like this and they weren't going to waste it. Cherish the simple moments. Touch when skin is available to be loved. Smile and remember.

Emma turns the brunette on her back and stares at her. Regina fidgets under her gaze. Emma stares at the beauty mark on her cheek, her eyes glaze over in deep thought, after another few moments the woman takes a deep breath "I don't…I hate to…" she starts "Baby can you please tell me what happened. I know that Cora…" she growls when she thinks of the woman. "I know that bitch is covering something up. I can feel it in my bones but I can't find anything and that fucking..." she lets out an exacerbated breath. "Please. Just tell me…

The emotions that ran throughout her body were an understatement. Anger pure bright boiling red hot rage pumped through her veins. Regina told her everything and Cora was behind it. She killed her husband, paid Daniel to marry Regina and conspired her own daughter's murder; she covered up the accident and rushed the funeral. She wanted to hunt them down and put a bullet between their eyes but Regina begged her to stop and take a moment. There was a way to avenge her without any blood on her hands.

 

He tosses and turns unable to find rest. The bed is lumpy and too hard. His muscles ache from the lack of sleep, his eyes are red and bloodshot because he fears to close his eyes. He fears to enter the part of his subconscious where the secrets are buried. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees her face. Every time he lets his defenses down the memories fly back. He killed her. The woman he loved. He killed her in his rage and it haunts him. She haunts him.

He heard her eerie laugh as the wind howled. He heard her heels click throughout the house. Things moved, door creaked, a coldness filled the house that would never die by the heat. He saw her reflection in the mirrors, in the crystal vases. Kristallnacht befell the beautiful home. In his paranoia he broke everything that reflected her eyes.

He knew that the guilt was gnawing at his insides. He could feel the vultures pecking at his rotten flesh. He wasn't this kind of person. He couldn't be this kind of man. He used Regina from the very beginning she was piece of meat dangled before his hungry eyes by her mother. Cora. She was pure evil and she saw something in him that she connected to. She played a dangerous game and won.

Murderer. Daniel sits up rigidly at the sound of the voice. The room drops to a bitter cold, Daniel watches his breath escape his lips and swirl around as his breathing picks up. Fear drops to the pit of his stomach. He knew that he wasn't just going crazy. Regina was here. This can't be a hallucination.

You will pay

Then as fast as it came the coldness, the entity was gone. Daniel bolts to his phone and calls the one person he thinks might understand. The phone rings a couple times. "Why are you calling me?"

"Cora I need your help."  
===============================================================================================================

Emma was so exhausted when she gets back in to her loft. She stumbles to the bed with her clothes and boots still on. She closes her eyes and breathes deeply. Regina…she calls out in her mind. She hasn't seen her in a few days. Regina was silent, no soft touches or whispers. She left Emma alone to focus on what needed to be done.

Darling. Emma's mind perks up when she hears the whispers.

I want to see you.

All you have to do is think of me.

Emma focuses on their love and she feels herself being lifted. When she opens her eyes she uses her hand to cover the sun's glare from her eyes. Then she looks around she notices that her toes were dug in the soft white sand the smell of salt wafting in her nostrils.

"Wow."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"How are you doing this?" she looks over to the brunette sitting on the beach chair, the sun dances on her olive skin. Regina smiles and shrugs as she turns her head to look out in the horizon. The sun was setting painting the water with hues of oranges and reds.

"Henry says that I can enter your dreams and I can manipulate this world because you allow it. So I wanted to see you in a bikini and now here you are…" she licks her lips as she looks at the black triangles covering Emma's breasts."

"Even as a ghost you're still a perv." Emma shakes her head as she chuckles softly.

"Nonsense I just always wondered how that would look on your very good form. Plus I thought you needed a mental vacation from reality." She reaches her hand out from the arm rest. Emma places her hand on Regina's. Smiling at the jolts she feels when their skin touches.

Emma looks out in to the sunset as silence fills them once more. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore soothes her soul. "I hate this Regina." she says still looking at the sun.

"I know…"

"I just don't understand it. It's not fair."

Regina gets up from her seat and settles herself between the blonde's legs. She moves a golden lock of hair behind the blonde's ear. "Life isn't fair Emma and we can't keep wallowing in this. We have to make peace with it. There shouldn't be any room in your heart for bitterness just love. I am dead now." She sighs as her fingers caress Emma's cheek, "You need to keep living. Keep fighting or Cora wins. You have to stay strong. I know this is hard my love. I know it feels like justice will never be served but it will, all comes around. I know it will."

Emma closes her eyes leaning her face into Regina's touch "I just wished for more days with you. I wanted to marry you. Go on our honeymoon. Make love to you for the rest of our lives." Her fingers trace figure less patterns on the patch of olive skin near Regina's hip.

Regina gives her a sad smile. "I will always be with you Emma. I am within your very soul. That means me and you are forever. Nothing, not even life or death can take that away from us." She presses a kiss on her temple and threads their fingers together. Regina stands up and pulls Emma with her as they walk closer to the water. The waves break on their legs expecting the initial hit to be cold was only met with warm water. "Come" the brunette says as she pulls her lover into the water.

Emma and Regina stand face to face in the middle of the endless ocean. The sun finally sets as the full moon glows on the surface. The stars in the sky shine and flicker in the vast heavens. Chocolate brown eyes glow with a molten haze as Regina stares at Emma. The blonde's breath hitches as she feels the devotion radiate from her lover. Golden eyes dance up and down trying to contain the need to press her lips on Regina's skin. She's been dreaming about another chance to make love to Regina and even if this was a dream she knows that it wasn't fake. That this whole moment wasn't made up in her mind; it wasn't an illusion.

Regina's spirit was with her, loving her and showering her with comfort. A wet wrinkled hand slides to the back of the brunette's head and pulls her closer. Regina inhales sharply just before their lips meet. It's a slow pressure of skin touching skin and when Emma's tongue requests for access by tracing the brunette's bottom lip, Regina responds by releasing a moan from the back of her throat as her lips open up to allow the blonde in. Oh god how kisses like this can exist. It leaves your head buzzing and light headed. It's love and hate, calm and turmoil, gentle and violent. It is the beginning and end. A welcome and a goodbye.

Regina wraps her legs around the blonde's waist as Emma's nails scratch the skin of her lower back beneath the water. Regina pulls back her eyes darken with lust. "Make love to me…" she breathes against the blonde's lips before she crashes their lips together. Emma's feet dig in to the wet sand moving their bodies closer to the shore. As the water recedes the weight of the brunette is felt as Emma's muscle compensate to the pull of gravity. She walks mindlessly up the sandy bank to the blanket near the chairs. She falls to her knees first then lays Regina on her back.

Eyes stare intensely at each other as Emma's reaches behind her back undoing the knot. The strings fall to her sides, she bites her bottom lip as Regina licks her lips in anticipation when she undo's the second knot around her neck. The black material falls away revealing her pert pink nipples harden by the cool breeze. "Oh Emma..." Regina whispers as her eyes take in how beautiful Emma was. She sits up and pulls Emma's lips against hers. Emma uses this position to untie the strings keeping the brunette's flesh away from her fingertips.

Regina's back is pressed against the blanket as Emma pins her hands above her head. Emma groans as her nipples press against Regina's pebbled flesh. "I love you." She breathes out as her hips rock painfully slow between Regina's aching core. Regina's eyes roll back as her back arches in a bow pressing her breasts in to Emma's face. The blonde encases one of the brunette's nipples between her lips and sucks. Regina hisses as the feel of her skin being pulled and nipped at in the most intoxicating way. Her legs spread wider allowing Emma to rub her swollen clit against hers. Eliciting jolts of pleasure that dance on every nerve ending and renders her brain useless.

Emma slows down her movements making the brunette whimper against bruised lips. She kisses Regina once more as her lips slide down. Pausing at her clavicle and biting the flesh then licking away the sting. Lips draw a line to her breast where she kisses the skin before taking a nipple in her mouth swirling her tongue around the dust colored pebbled skin. Regina moans as her hands grip the blanket feeling the sand bunch up underneath her fingers. Emma continues down memorizes every inch, every dip, and every curve of olive skin. Burning it into her mind. This is Regina in her most beautiful form. Aching and moaning beneath her worshiping lips. Praising each new land her lips come across. Finally her teeth scrap against the hip bones as the intoxicating smell of Regina's arousal hits her nose. Its surrounds her and sets her mind in to a haze.

Fingers burn Regina's skin as Emma's fingertips slide between her legs spreading her wider. She licks her lips as she watches Emma stare at her sex. The green eyes that glowed brightly darken as the blonde's tongue darts out to moisten her lips. Hunger. Desire. Passion. Love. All hit Regina as Emma uses her thumbs to part her nether lips. The brunette cries out when Emma's tongue dips inside drinking her up right before the muscle flattens and licks up her slit. The feeling is intense and consuming. The movements the blonde makes as she devours the woman is just…she's in awe. Hips buck forward for more pressure as the blonde paces herself. Regina growls and fingers tangle in blonde locks pulling her closer to her aching core.

The muscles in her legs twitch painfully as the impending climax builds in her lower belly. She cries out to the heavens as Emma slowly builds this hunger inside for a release. Emma already knows how her lover will respond and she uses it to her advantage. Tan fingers drain of their color as they turn pale white as she clenches tightly. Hips buck shamelessly forward as teeth graze her swollen clit eliciting a delicious pleading cry. Sweat accumulates at her brow and trickles down her heated flesh.

Suddenly Emma pulls away from where she needed her most. Emma climbs back up and crashes their lips together simultaneously she thrusts two long fingers inside Regina's throbbing sex. Regina's mouth rips away as she screams. Her hips rock wildly as her orgasm explodes. Fingers break skin as her body convulses in pleasure. "Look at me" Emma coos "Stay with me." she presses her lips on Regina's.

The brunette moans as she tastes herself. Lips moves against one another as tongues move lazily in each other's mouths. "Oh god, Emma. That was…" She swallows thickly.

Emma chuckles against her ear. "Wanna go again?" The blonde's teeth nip on Regina's fatty lobe.

The brunette groans as arousal pools again between her legs. She uses whatever strength she has left to flip them over. The giggles that fall out the blonde's mouth falter as she looks up to the woman above her. Regina stares at the woman she would give up heaven for a thousand times over, her heart feels like bursting at the seams by the emotions she feels for the cop.

"I'll love you forever."  
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"Mom it's time…"

Regina opens her eyes, her vision is met with the galaxies that shine through the ceiling of Emma's loft "Time for what?" she turns her head to her son's voice.

Henry jumps off the dresser; his bare feet hit the floor with a light thud. "We're leaving. You did what you needed and now we have to go."

Regina sits up on her elbows she looks down; she is once again dresser in her linen dress. "I can't leave her now. I need more time. There is so much…" her voice breaks. She didn't think that it was time. It's so sudden. She remembers last night. That meeting felt so passionate and final. Her eyes widen in realization.

"I know…" Henry walks to the edge of the bed and extends his hand "I know mom but this is why you couldn't cross over. You needed to help her and guide her. You'll see each other again." He shares a smile that warms her heart.

She places her hand in Henry's and he helps her out of the bed. "When!?" she looks over to her son imploringly.

"Time is different there. What will feel like forever for her will be a blink of an eye for you."

"I can't leave her..."

"Sweetheart you don't really have a choice. The light is calling and we have to go. Souls aren't meant to linger." Henry senior says as he walks to stand beside his daughter.

"But Daddy…"

"Mom. I promise you'll be happy once we cross." he places mom's other hand into his grandfather's hand.

The two Henrys lead Regina to the center of the room and point up to the vastness of space, the stars glow and flicker. She notices one of the stars growing brighter and brighter the light spreading breaking the darkness. It moves quickly and swiftly towards them. Regina stumbles back, her back presses against her father's chest. Henry squeezes Regina's hand encouragingly with his small fingers. Brown eyes look down to him with a sad smile. She looks back up the light that spreads throughout the room as the objects that created Emma's loft faded away. They stand in complete whiteness. The void of nothing Regina thought would scare her but its glow caresses her skin with love. She is overwhelmed with the sense of peace.

"Close your eyes princess" her father whispers in her ear. She can feel her son wrapping his small arms around her waist.

"I love you Emma" Regina whispers closing her eyes as the warmth surrounds her and she feels as if she is being lifted in to the air. She clenches her eyes tighter afraid to open them.

"Don't be afraid mom. Nothing can hurt you here, we're home." Little Henry says in a happy tone. Which causes Regina to open her eyes. She gasps.

Her eyes take in the vivid colors of paradise, the blues and greens the gold and white. All flow together to form long green fields with clear blue skies. It was beautiful.

It was Heaven.

A place of peace and everlasting rest. A place of love and acceptance. A place of joy and filled with the sounds of laughter. She never thought a place like this existed. It was everything she thought and more. It was Mother Nature as she pulsated in the luscious green grass that threaded between her toes. She was in the air that breezed through her hair. She was warmth that radiated from the glowing orb in the sky.

"This is beautiful…"

"I told you mom." little Henry says proudly as he recaptures his mother's hand, intertwining their fingers. He pulls her to follow. She looks over to her father in question. He just smiles and shrugs as he follows them deeper in to paradise.

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A/N: 

Your words are a great kick in the butt. Chapter 9 is 60% complete, so keep kicking! 

Your thoughts for this chapter would be most appreciated since I think I lost a bit of blood from chewing on my lip.


	9. Chapter 9

Till Kingdom Come

A/N: Here's my answer to your questions. Enjoy.

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IX.

Leo wakes up from the movement across the bed. He turns towards the shuffling, "Darling?"

Cora places the phone back down on the side table "That was Daniel calling at this god awful hour," Cora said flicking on the light.

Leo squinted as the light filled the room irritating his eyes, he grumbles as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "What in god's name made him call now?" He pushes himself up and rests against the headboard.

"Guilt." Cora said simply.

"Guilt? About what?" Leo turns to look at his wife. He had a meeting in the morning and didn't have time to deal with riddles.

The brunette sighs as she pinches the bridge of her nose. "About Regina, He's becoming a liability love. We're going to have to eliminate him before he opens his mouth. If he rambles that it was him who caused the accident then we can spin this and go after him, but if he starts talking about us or that I told him to follow her in his truck that night then that will bring a lot of unwanted curiosity and suspicion towards us." Cora reaches to the side drawer and opens it up to retrieve the silver cigarette case, she pulls out a thin brown cigarette and lights it up.

Leo made a face at the smell of the smoke. "Then we'll have him taken care of." He says simply as he settles back in bed as if the discussion of taking a man's life was a simple everyday choice like picking what tie to wear for work.

The older woman smiles as she takes in a long pull, filling her lungs with smoke. She exhales releasing the smoke from her nostrils and parted lips. "Excellent."  
=============================================================================================================

From the moment she opened her green eyes she knew that Regina crossed over. Her heart…it was gone and now she was left alone to clean up the messes made by the people that were supposed to love and protect the brunette. She curls into herself clutching the sheets into her chest. The room was silent with the small howls of wind rattling the windows. Tears slip from her eyes and saturate the pillow. She's gone.

Again.

The sadness that resonated in her heart that stretched to the depths of her soul faded away and was replaced by anger. She was alone. Regina was taken again because it was time for her spirit to go to someplace better? Some place without her and it wasn't fucking fair. She gets peace while Emma is left behind to suffer. How dare Regina. How dare that woman come in to her life like a plague destroying everything in her finally stable life. How dare that woman with her golden skin and beautiful brown eyes. How dare that woman with her hypnotizing smile and melodious laugh. How dare that woman with her siren voice and sweet scent. How dare that woman who kissed the broken pieces of the blonde's heart away. As quickly she came, she was gone. The thought of Regina warms her heart. This isn't Regina's fault. She can't blame anything on that woman.

They found each other. They connected instantly. They fell in love. All these feelings were stronger than their will. They fit. The missing pieces of a puzzle snapped together to make out the picture of their future. But things don't always go as planned and none of that was Regina's fault.

But why was she gone in the first place?

Daniel.

Cora.

These individuals, who carved their way into Regina's life, eliminated any possibility for actual happiness. Cora orchestrated it and Daniel played it out, Regina's blood was on both their hands. She could feel the hate coursing through her veins when Regina told her about the accident. Daniel was chasing her. Daniel hit her car causing the accident that killed her and left like a coward that he was. Left Regina broken and battered in the smashed car.

Emma jumped to the sound of pounding on her front door. Whoever was trying to play the drums on her door at three in the morning was going to get a serious beating. Emma stumbles angry out of bed and stomps her way to the pounding door. She grabs the door knob wrenching the door open and opened her mouth to scream at the idiot but the words died in her throat.

"Emma, I know it's late but I-" Daniel's pathetic mouth was interrupted by Emma's fist slamming into his nose.

"You son of a bitch!" Emma screeched as she launched herself at Daniel shoving him against the wall as she continued to hit him wherever she could reach. "You fucking bastard you killed her!" her fist collides with his jaw. "You killed her and you dare show your face?!" Her right fist slams into his temple then she upper cuts him with her left. Her knuckles stained crimson red with the blood leaking from his nose. The loud crunch of bone breaking bone echoes in the hallway as Daniel groans and whimpers collapsing on the ground. "She told me what you did you motherfucking coward!" she kicks her bare foot in to his gut.

Daniel lets out a pained cry as the tears streaked down his bloodied face, "R-regina told you?"

Emma pulls his hiding form by the collar of his shirt the adrenaline coursing through her veins amplifies her strength. Her injured hand continues to wail on his face "Don't you dare ever say her name!" The rage inside of her flares up again. She wanted him dead. He didn't deserve to live. This is the person responsible for taking Regina away from her.

Daniel grabbed her arm to stop the assault but didn't retaliate. "Emma please just listen to me. I need your help."

"Why would I ever help you?!" Emma struggled against his hold.

"Because I can help you prove that Cora wanted Regina dead."

Emma stopped struggling to look at Daniel suspiciously. "Is this a trick?"

"Can we talk about this inside?"

"Fine." She said curtly before she releases him as he collapses to the floor with a loud thud. She turns quickly, moving back inside her apartment. Daniel struggles to stand and limps his way to the couch. Emma walks over to the refrigerator, pulling out two bags of frozen peas; she grabs the dish rag and walks over to where the man was sitting. She tosses him the bag and the dish towel. Taking a seat on the chair in front of the man, the cop presses the cold bag on her bruised knuckles hissing at the pain, she stares hard at Daniel. "So talk."

Daniel presses the rag on his nose, cleaning the blood. He sighs as he presses the make shift ice pack on his face. He takes a moment to look around. This was the place Regina was before she died. This is the place she made love to the woman in front of him. This is the place where they declared their love. This is the place he truly lost her. Taking a deep breath he looks back at the angry blonde "Cora is responsible for everything. For Regina's law career, her term as mayor, our marriage... And her father and her deaths."

"But you killed her." Emma says through gritted teeth.

Daniel takes a sharp breath and releases slowly. "Yes… I hit her car that ran her off the road." He feels a weight lift off his shoulders. He's been holding in this guilt since the moment he put his foot on the gas and drove away.

Emma clenches her shaking fists. He admitted it. She wanted nothing more than to walk to the other room and grab her gun or forgo the whole thing and strangle him to death. "Why weren't you there when the police was called?"

"Cora told me to leave. When I told her about the accident she said good because Regina was going to die anyway." He says in disgust.

Emma sits there motionless. The words dance around her head. Why did she want Regina gone? Regina's father was also killed by Cora… what the fuck was wrong with this woman?! Exactly how much blood was on her hands?

"Her father…" Emma starts.

Daniel stops pinching his nose and wipes it to make sure the bleeding stopped. "Henry Mills. He owned the mines in Storybrooke well… basically he owned the entire town" the nasally sound of his voice diminished as air started to flow, "she had him killed to get the deeds and his money but I think he knew that Cora was up to something because he left everything to Regina. That's why she hired me to try and keep control over her. She even killed the mayor so Regina had a reason to stay in Storybrooke. She wanted to move to the city and Cora didn't want that. When that didn't work the way she wanted and Regina wanted to have a baby she planned to kill her." he looks down at his hands.

Cora wanted to kill Regina because she wanted to have a baby? Of course because then her inheritance would go to her child because Daniel was in Cora's pocket but this child was something Regina wouldn't let her control because if Regina had a real reason to leave; she would do it for the safety of her child. Henry? Their son was named after this man? "Regina didn't tell me about her father." Her brow scrunches as she tries to recount what Regina's ghost told her. "How do you know all of this?"

"Regina didn't know. She thought he died of a heart disease. He had a defect in his heart or something like that. I know that she and Leo were having an affair for years before they got rid of Henry. I know this because Rumple Gold is her attorney and I am partner at the firm."

"Gold as in Neal's father?" her brow scrunches as the pieces start to make sense. She rests her aching head on her head.

Daniel nods his head as he sighs heavily. Everyone was all under Cora's rule. She approached them with their deepest desire and like weak fools that they were they made a deal with the devil. They were under her control. "w-what do you mean she didn't tell you about him? When did you talk to her…" the fear fills his face as he thinks about the strange things happening at his house.

"Not like it matters. You probably think I'm crazy too." She shakes her head because saying 'I was talking to the ghost of my dead lover' didn't sound like she was a paranoid schizophrenic.

"She came to you too?" he asks in a small voice he looks at the blonde with a knowing gaze.

Emma swallows thickly. "She went to you? What did she say?"

"She told me that I will pay…" he trembles as he recalls the coldness in her voice.

Emma smirks. Leave it to Regina to actually haunt Daniel. "Good because you will and so will Cora. I am taking her and anyone who helped her down."

"That might be a big problem because her husband is very powerful."

"I don't care. I will take everyone down. Who is her husband?"

"Leopold White, The governor of Maine."

Emma gulps fuck this is big.  
==============================================================================================================

Emma presented the key to the safety deposit box that Daniel had procured for her to the bank teller and followed the woman into the vault. After being handed the box Emma was left alone in a room to go over the items inside. Opening the box all it contained was a thick envelope that was yellowed with age. Carefully opening the envelope she unfolded the papers inside to see the last will and testament of Henry Victor Mills.

Cora sat behind her daughter's desk in Storybrooke trying to sort out the mess left behind by the mayor's sudden death. Honestly, Cora couldn't figure out how her daughter learned to file paperwork but it certainly wasn't the way Cora had taught her. Regina seemed to have her own code and it took Cora over two weeks to reorganize the files to her liking. Everything Regina did seemed to try to be the exact opposite of everything her mother told her.

The town was still in a state of shock and disarray after Regina passed away. Regina ran such a tight ship that the other town officials basically fell apart without her guidance. Luckily for them Cora not only had the leadership skills to take over the role but she also had the knowledge in politics thanks to her own successful law career. The other assembly members practically dropped to their knees in thanks when Cora offered to fill her daughter's shoes until they could find a replacement. The way things were going it seemed they would ask Cora to stay.

A loud burst interrupted Cora's filing attempts and a glance up showed the rose that had sprouted practically large and sharp thorns to dig into Cora's sides.

"Ah, Ms. Swan to what do I owe this honor? Surely you haven't forgotten about the restraining order against you." Cora went about her business as if the blonde in the room didn't exist. She could practically see Emma's aura fluctuate with anger.

"I haven't forgotten, but I think there's some information I have that you would like to know." Emma strode over to the desk and tossed the manila folder on top of it. Cora frowned just what she needed more paperwork.

She sighs and grabs the folder glancing at the papers she knew instantly what the blonde had placed in front of her. Cora tried to suppress her reaction as she lifted the paperwork to get a better look. "How did you get this?" Cora practically hissed.

"That information is classified. I don't reveal my sources, but I have no problem revealing all of your secrets, and there are so many of them." Emma leaned forward to place her hands against the desk in front of her. "I'm going to nail you to the wall with everything I've dug up on you; I even have a witness against you that can testify to everything that you've done."

"Daniel?" Cora licked her lips to hide her smile. "Surely the courts wouldn't believe a lying, abusive pathetic excuse for a lawyer. Although I doubt that he will see a court room considering." She tosses the folder on the desk.

"Considering what?" Emma frowned not liking Cora's tone.

Cora shrugs nonchalantly "Considering that there are people that are looking for him. He did hit the darling mayor of Storybrooke. He admitted to it in front of a lot of people. Guilty ramblings from a drunk man."

"The only person who would want him to stay out of court is you!" Emma hissed. She was starting to get a sickening feeling in her stomach.

"I want him to pay for hurting my daughter," Cora said coyly.

"This isn't over Cora." Emma walked out of the office and immediately pulled out her cell phone speed dialing Neal as she rushed to her motorcycle.

"Yo,"

"Neal," Emma breathed out quickly as she mounts her bike. "I need you to rush over to my apartment and check on Daniel, now!"

"Why what's going on?" Neal said in confusion. Emma could hear rustling of fabric. He was grabbing his coat.

"Just do it!" Emma hung up and put her phone in her pocket before putting on her helmet. Gripping the handlebars and kicking up the kick stand. Emma took off speeding back to Boston. She just hoped that she got there in time.  
==============================================================================================================

"Daniel?" Neal called as he let himself into Emma's apartment. He still had no idea what was going on but the urgency in Emma's voice spurred him into action. He was lucky that he didn't get pulled over on his way to the apartment building.

Neal walked deeper into the apartment and noticed a few chairs and papers thrown about. He had a feeling of dread in his stomach as he turned a corner and saw streaks of blood leading up to a leg. Neal steadied himself before emerging from around the corner completely to see his best friend since childhood lying in a pool of his own blood. At just a glance Neal could tell that he was dead.

Gasping for breath Neal stumbles back against the wall to catch himself quickly fleeing the room to try to erase the horror he just witnessed. Daniel was dead. Daniel was murdered. What the fuck happened? Peeking around the corner Neal glanced at the body once again and noticed a large butcher knife protruding from his chest. Daniel was stabbed.

What should he do now?

Neal fumbled for his cell phone and did the only thing he could think of in this situation. He called his father.

"Hello?" Rumple's voice answered him with his lilting voice.

"Papa," Neal breathed in relief

"Neal? What's wrong, son?" Rumble questioned him in concern. His son sounded nearly traumatized.

"Daniel's dead. I-I don't know what to do," Neal choked out. He could barely say it out loud because that made it real.

"Dead? Where did you find him? He's dead?" Rumple parroted back in surprise.

"Dead as in dead Dad! I found him in…" Neal hesitated to answer that question.

"Where are you Neal?" his father presses.

"In Emma's apartment." Neal ran a hand through his hair and heard his father sigh on the other end of the line.

"Call the police Neal."

"But Papa-"

"I know you want to protect Emma but you need to call the police Neal. There is a dead man in her apartment. A man that she assaulted and was ordered to stay away from, this is for the police to settle. You could go to jail as an accomplice and obstructing a murder investigation." Rumple said seriously. Neal gave another sigh. His father was right.

"Alright, I'll call them."

"Atta boy, come home after you give your statement."  
=============================================================================================================

Emma's world came to an ear splitting, screeching halt when she learned of Daniel's death. Emma was sure her heart stopped and never started again, despite the pulse that thrummed loudly in her ears. The official reports say homicide and the number one suspect was Sgt. Emma Swan.

To make matters worse with Daniel being killed was that he was the only solid lead to build a case against Cora Mills-White. These people fucked Emma over. They killed Regina and ruined everything. Cora thought she was doing what she thought was best for her daughter but Cora didn't know her, nobody did. They didn't know the beauty of her smile, the mischievous glint in her eye when she was playful, the determination she felt to become the greatest mayor she could be, the tender smile she would bestow upon Emma alone, and her sensual touch.

Regina had shared with Emma that her true passion was art. Anything artistic sung to her and struck her like her voice alone did to Emma. Her voice was like a siren's call to Emma, and how she wanted to drown in it all day. She shared stories of her father, Henry, as Emma had shared her own past of growing up an orphan after her parents had died from an overdose; leaving a young Emma to fend in the world alone.

There were just too many pieces that didn't fit into the puzzle. Emma had poured over the police reports, autopsy report, and accident photos, everything she could get her hands on to give her more information and it wasn't until Daniel came to her, her enemy, the murderer who take everything she loved away was now her partner. If it wasn't for his guilt Emma would have never gotten the big breaks she needed to take Cora down. It was her obsession and no matter what Emma did she simply could not get anyone to take her seriously. She was labeled the obsessed maniac with a hard on for trying to ruin not only Regina's reputation, but that of the Gov. Leopold White. Neal had tried to persuade her to let the witch hunt go in a last ditch effort to save her, but Emma just couldn't do it. She couldn't let them get away with it, and by refusing to back down they declared war.

That's how Emma found herself in the cheap dirty motel outside of town slumped in the arm chair with her head in her hands. Next to her on the end table sat a mostly empty bottle of Jack Daniels and her gun, along with her dismissal papers. Governor White made sure that she was fired from the police force. Picking up the fire arm, Emma stared at the cold metal with a detached look on her face.

"I'm sorry, Regina," the blonde said to no one in particular. "I'm sorry I can't make them pay for what they have done to you. What they did to us." They took everything away; the love of her life, her job, her title, the respect of her friends. She was robbed of everything.

"I'm sorry for ever approaching you and getting us into this whole mess," she continued while flicking the safety of the gun on and off.

"I'm sorry that I pushed you to do things that you weren't ready to do. I'm sorry that I couldn't take some of that burden off of you." The clicking increased as Emma became agitated.

"I'm sorry that we couldn't have met each other earlier, before you met that fu-Daniel and before you gave up your dream of being an artist. I would have told you to tell your mother to suck it and do what you wanted." The last part was said with the barest hint of a chuckle, just imagining the look on Cora's face if Regina ever dared to say such a thing to her.

"I'm sorry for being angry with you. I was angry at you for leaving me to go back home to Daniel, and I was so angry at you for dying on me, for you crossing over, for finding peace" the blonde felt her throat tightening at speaking about Regina's fate. Regina didn't deserve the way she was treated, nor did she deserve to die for other's mistakes.

"I'm sorry for everything, especially this because I know how angry you would be at me, but baby I can't do this and this is they only way… How am I supposed to live without you? How could you just leave me here again and think I wouldn't follow you?" Emma poured herself one last shot before clicking the safety off for the final time, cocking the gun and bringing it to her chest. "I can't, I won't, live without you. I know you think I'm strong, but I'm not strong enough for this. Kind of ridiculously poetic isn't it? I do have a flare for dramatics." Pushing the barrel of the gun against her heart that she couldn't even feel beat inside her anymore, the blonde took a deep breath. "I love you Regina. Just wait for me baby, I'm coming." And with those last words she pulls the trigger.  
===========================================================================================================

Regina was holding Henry's hand as they walked on the beach watching the crystal clear waves break on the shore and soaking the white sand. She felt peace here. She felt warmth and radiating love. Henry said that time here isn't like it is on Earth. Emma will live the rest of her life and when it's her time, she'll be waiting with open arms. All she wanted was for Emma to be happy again but deep inside she knew that something will always be missing for both of them. Finding your soul mate isn't like a normal love. It's everything. They fit the mold of your other half. And anyone else will never compare to them. Even though she knew it was inevitable the selfish part of her didn't want Emma to fall in love again because they belonged to each other.

She looks out on the horizon and she closes her eyes; breathing in the salt. The feeling is instant and painful as if hot acid pours into her chest; burning and corroding her insides. Her very essence is being torn apart, as if she was of flesh and bone again. She collapses to the ground screaming loudly and the little boy stumbles beside her. "Mom! What's wrong?" he asks panicky as he watches his mother land on the sand the perfect olive skin protecting her heart reddens and bubbles.

"Emma!" she screams loudly as she clutches at her chest, her head buzzes with swirling images and her eyes blink wildly as the clouds colored with the deep shades of oranges and reds blur to nothing.  
=============================================================================================================

They say there is a place where some will go, a place of broken and lost souls, a place of confusion and doubt, of perpetual darkness and everlasting drought. A place people don't go looking for well… willingly.

Regina takes a sharp breath in as she touches her chest feeling the lingering remnants of the burning pain slowly fade. What was that? She thinks as her eyes focus the ceiling that greets her. She grunts as she tries to sit up.

"Be careful sweetheart" her father says as helps her sit up on the bed.

"What happen?" the brunette swings her legs off the bed, her fingers flex on the soft mattress.

The older man moves some of the long brunette hair out of his daughter's eyes, "You've been unconscious for five days."

The brunette's brow furrows in confusion "Is that even possible, I thought the dead don't sleep?" she finds herself with the need to swallow.

"They don't, which is why we were all concerned."

"Did you find out what's wrong then?"

He nods sadly and looks over to his grandson. The happy smile that always painted his face faded as he stares at his mother. He looks as if he was going to cry. Regina reacts suddenly and wraps the boy in her arms.

"What's wrong my love?" she cradles the boy and swings him as his arms wrap around her neck. He tearlessly cries into her neck "Mama…."

Regina snaps her attention to her Father who looks ashamed. "What happen to Emma!?"

"Regina maybe we should talk outside."

Regina settles Henry back down and looks forlornly at her son "Its ok mom. I'll be here. Go." She nods and walks him over to the bed, kissing his temple she whispers 'I love you' and then she walks outside with her father. The calming breeze hits her as the wind dances with the leaves of the willow trees.

"Princess, something has happened back on earth. Emma…"

Her attention perks up at the mention of her lover's name; her brown eyes flash with concern "What? I felt something, what's happened?"

Henry looks at the clouds and takes a deep breath closing his eyes he says in an almost regretful whisper. "She's dead."

Regina's head jerks back and looks at the man as if he is speaking a different tongue. "What!" her hand presses against her chest where she doesn't feel her beating heart. "How?" her mouth opens and closes in disbelief then her eyes harden turning to her father, "I ….you said she will be ok….you made me leave her!" she screams in anger. Regina walks down the steps and deeper into the field. Emma's dead. She's gone.

No wait.

She turns back to her father who moves closer to her. "If she's dead then she'll be with me soon right. She's in the in between!" her lips twitch upward in a premature smile.

Henry looks down in shame and shakes his head. "She's not coming here sweetheart"

"What do you mean?" she moves closer to her father.

"Emma violated the natural order. Her soul doesn't get to come here."

"What does that mean!?" she stumbles into her father's chest, her knees tremble to hold the woman up.

Henry places his hands on each shoulder forcing his daughter to look into his eyes "Regina….Emma killed herself."

No no no no no she repeats in her head. Falling to her knees she screams. It echoes loudly vibrating in the air and makes the ground quake beneath her knees. Henry looks around in fear, he's been here for a long time and never once was there a disturbance then his brown eyes fall to his daughter. The woman collapsed on the ground screams again and the earth violently trembles once more. "Where is she?" her voice is low almost inaudible.

He swallows thickly afraid of the fire in her eyes. "She's in a place where the lost and damned go."

Regina's head snaps up to look at her father "She's in Hell?!"

Henry nods "She's in between purgatory and the flames. She violated a natural law my love. She is lost in her own selfishness and despair."

Regina stays silent for a moment the emotions that play inside her heart contradict one another; she's angry and sad and hurt and in pain. Heaven no longer gave her the peace she once felt. Heaven no longer felt like love. This place in which you never tire and age, where the sun never burns just feels like another cage, another prison keeping her away. No she will not let this happen again. She pushes herself up from the ground the anger that burned from her irises now glow with determination "I need to get to her!"

Henry double takes his daughter's words "That's not possible."

"Is it?" her brow hooks upward in suspicion.

Henry just stays silent unable to find the right words.

Regina huffs impatiently "is it impossible?" she asks through gritted teeth.

"No.."

She nods then turns back towards the house, "Then I need to get to her. I abandoned her. Cora and Daniel tore us apart. I cannot let her soul be damned alone. I have to find her."

Henry follows after his daughter and places his hand on her shoulder stopping her to face her "Regina there is no way to get back here. If you do this…if you go down there you become of flesh again and if you die there you will stay there. There's no going back."

Regina responds quickly without thought, "Then so be it. I will not leave her again. I love her father. More than this world and the next."

"What about your son?"

"He'll understand."

Henry sighs he knows this was pretty selfish "But we just found each other…" he looks down shamefully.

Regina walks towards her dad and presses her hand against his cheek "Daddy I'm sorry. Emma's my heart. I left her twice. I can't let her suffer alone. Please just tell me how to get to her…"

Her father stays quiet for a moment contemplating in deep thought. His hand slides on top of his daughter's "Ok but I am coming with you."

"What no! You can't, if you get hurt you'll be stuck there!"

Henry smile has his eyes glisten "Regina. You are not the only one who has abandoned someone. I left you as well and all I ever wanted was to give you was happiness. If she is it, then we are going… Together."  
==============================================================================================================

"Darling…" Regina says as she walks slowly to her son sitting on the branch of the giant willow.

Henry looks out into the vast green fields where he was playing tag with his mother. "I know Mom. I've always know that this was going to happen."

Regina climbs the tree carefully and sits beside her son. Her feet swing back and forth besides her son. "You knew that Emma was going to die?"

He nods sadly. "I can see what's beyond the now. I can see the tomorrows for us all."

"How?" Regina reaches out for his small hand.

"By love Momma. You are meant to save her. We are meant for so much more." His little fingers squeeze his mother's fingers.

Regina places her other hand on his head softly scratching his scalp "Little one who gave birth to you?"

Emma's green eyes stare lovingly at her, the young boy sighs "Does it matter? I come from the both of you. Go find her and it will all make sense."

Pulling the boy into her arms and he rests his head on her chest, kissing his temple she says "I wish we had more time. I wish we could do this again. I wish we could have had you and raise you."

"Mom this isn't the end, it's a beginning." He says against her skin "Go find Mama, save her soul."

"But your grandfather said that a soul can't return here."

Young Henry gives her a big lopsided grin "Grandpa doesn't know the power of true love Mom. Just believe and trust in that. Think of mama and you'll find her."  
==============================================================================================================

"What is this place?" Regina stands at the edge of the waterfall. She kicks the rock with the tip of her boot and watches the stone fall in to the darkness.

Henry stands beside her and leans over to look down, he gulps, he was never fond of heights "This is how we get to Hell."

"A waterfall?"

"A leap." He corrects "We have to fall from grace."

She looks over the edge, the water cascades into an endless blackness. "Here." Henry passes her a long object.

Wrapping her fingers around the item and looks at her father confused "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"It's been blessed with the waters of the pure. It will protect you. We have to fight whatever hell throws at us." He watches as Regina unsheathes it and stares at the steel.

"Thank god I took up fencing in college." She says absentmindedly looking at the sword. It shines with a glow of the sun. Its light but feels powerful beneath her fingers tips.

"I must warn you that once we get there you will be tested. You will feel pain again and all the agonies of the living. We can burn from the flames. We can be wounded and it can fester and rot. You need to be careful. We need to be careful."

"How do we find her?" Regina asks as she places the sword back in the scabbard and loops the sash over her shoulder.

"You need to think of her Regina. Think of your love. That connection will lead us to her."

Think of Emma.

Regina stands at the edge looking at the sky. She extends her hands outwards and closes her eyes. Leaning forward she lets herself fall.

The wind howls in Regina's ears as Emma's motorcycle moves faster. They drive down the road along the coast. After spending the day at the museum Emma wanted to drive without their helmets. She wanted the wind to blow through their hair. 

"Come around!" Emma shouts looking over her shoulder excitedly. 

"What?!" Regina screeches back griping her fingers tighter in to the leather.

"Come over here" she grins mischievously with a glint in her green eyes. 

"Are you insane!?"

Emma hangs her head back as she laughs "Live a little. Trust me."

Regina thinks about it for a moment. Emma is the flame that burns her, she is the force that makes her do the impossible. Before Emma, Regina never wondered, never played, never gave in to spontaneity, and never laughed hysterically. 

She never took chances or was even dared to live…

Emma made her live. 

The brunette growls "Fine!" she swings her leg over the cop's lap as Emma continues to drive. Emma takes her arm off the handle allowing the brunette to move. Regina swings her body over and faces the blonde, arms wrap tightly around the blonde's neck like a koala bear. Her clenched eyes flutters open to see the road and sandy coast receding away from her. She lets out a deep laugh from the pit of her belly. Short brunette hair whips forward. 

Regina looks into Emma's eyes. They shine with so much love and light it burns her retinas. "Pull your arms out." The blonde says and Regina extends her arms out, squeezing her thighs tighter on the blonde's waist, she feels the air pressing against her skin. The older woman feels as if she was gliding through the air. 

Emma smiles wildly "This is what you make me feel."

"Freedom?" Regina says in understanding.

Emma nods and extends her arms out as well. "Our love is my freedom."

Regina feels the air change as she falls deeper into the darkness the cool mist of the waterfall changes to hot and acidic; it's scorching and humid and smells of sulfur or something foul hits her nose. She opens her eyes just as her body hits the cold red water. Thousands of knives penetrate her body from the bitter coldness. She trashes to reach the surface. She moves her legs back and forth propelling her forward, just before her head breaks the water she feels something latch on to her leg. She looks down in the murky water.

Hands.

Millions of rotten hands reach out to grab her. She shakes her limbs trying to get loose. Their faces are gray, their eyes were missing and replaced with a void, a blackness; no soul. She reaches for her sword on her back and the moment she pulls it from the scabbard it glows with a brilliant golden light, she swings the sword frantically. The corpses flinch back shielding themselves from the light, they scream in agony. Regina frees herself from the receding bodies and swims to the surface. The brunette takes a painful breath in as the air hot air fills her lungs. It burns, she coughs up the bloody water from her lungs. She swims to the bank where her father stands. Henry reaches out to pull her out.

"What were those things?" she pants as she sits on the edge. Looking at the red water hiding the bodies.

"They are the tormented souls of the forgotten. They are not good people that died. This lake is filled with them."

Henry extends his hand out to pull the brunette to her feet. She wipes hands on her jeans and threads her fingers through her wet hair slicking it back. The brunette's boots crunch on the gravel as she moves closer towards her father. A smile appears on her face. Emma. Just think of Emma.

"Come on tell me what's your favorite color?" Emma laughs as she places the spoon of chocolate ice cream in the brunette's mouth. 

"Please don't laugh…" Regina's cheeks flush red as she swallows. 

"I would never!" Emma mockingly says as she places her hand on her chest.

Regina playfully shoves the blonde "it's purple."

Emma laughs and Regina shoves her harder "Emma I told you not to laugh!"

"I'm not laughing at you! I promise. I'm laughing because you're so fucking adorable."

Regina rolls her eyes. "Ok what's your favorite sound?"

Emma takes a second and smiles "Gravel"

"Excuse me?"

"I like the sound of gravel. You know when you walk on it. The crunch crunch sound." She simply shrugs her shoulders. Regina looks at her for a moment and breaks out in to laughter. 

"What? you think I'm adorable too?" Emma laughs along with the brunette.

Regina wipes her eyes and attempts to fight off the giggles "Oh no dear. I'm laughing at you!"

Regina lets out a small chuckle as they reach the edge of the bank. Suddenly a figure appears in a black cloak, the robes are tattered and burned. Henry approaches the hooded figure slowly "We seek passage across." The hooded figure lifts his arm up and points to the water where a small boat appears. Looking over to her father she raises her eyebrows for an explanation.

"Your memories are strong. We need to take this to cross the river." He walks in to the water and holds the boat steady for Regina to sit in. Regina takes a deep breath and climbs in.

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A/N: Review Please?

Hey everyone my semester is ending in the next few weeks so I am going to be pretty busy, an update will happen hopefully before Christmas. Happy Holidays.


	10. Chapter 10

Till Kingdom Come

A/N: I'm Back! This is a monster of a chapter and one I hold very close to my heart. Your continued support is really what keeps this story alive. I know that some have lost hope but I did promise it would get better. So here we go... 

I hope you guys enjoy.  
==============================================================================================================  
X.

Mary Margaret walks slowly down the hallway. The soft sounds of David crying echo off the walls. His whimpers penetrate in her mind squeezing her heart with a dull ache, she feels his pain, Emma has been gone for weeks now and it hasn't gotten any easier. She turns the corner just about to approach him but she stops and watches the man she loves cradle the box in his arms.

"I'm sorry." David whispers and repeats as his body shakes in broken sobs. The regret and guilt pierce his body; he stopped believing and walked away when she needed him the most. Holding the drawing that Regina drew of the woman he loved as a sister, breaks his heart even more. Emma was happy. She was in love. She found her place with a person who would have taken care of her, helped her build a home, create a family, give her all the things she ever wanted and it was all taken away. He chose not to believe Emma when she came to him. He failed her.

He judged her with skeptical scrutinizing eyes when she said that Regina's spirit was still around. He saw the life shine back in her eyes, the determination, and the hope. She explained how Daniel and Regina's mother, Cora White was to blame for their deaths. He watched his partner, his friend fall apart and sink deeper into madness and he stepped aside. He believed when they said she killed Daniel because she was so close to it before and if it wasn't for Neal, she would have. David believed them… He let her down.

"Fuck you Meyers! Don't believe me…I don't need your help. I will do this myself. Daniel told me everything. I will bring them all down with or without your help!" she points at him with her index finger as her other arm clutches the manila envelope that held evidence.

David moves closer trying to comfort her manic state "Emma, it's not that I won't help you but listen to yourself. Regina's ghost told you about how she died. She told you about your future would be son… I mean I know you're grieving but I think you need some help. Even the chief pulled me aside and asked about you. We're all just worried about you." He tries placing his hand on her shoulder.

The blonde shoves him back and takes steps backwards shaking her head "They took her Meyers.." her voice quivers as she wipes her tears " I never got…we never even had a chance. I can't just stand aside and let them get away with it." Emma hangs her head and lets out a weak breath.

That was the last time they spoke, David didn't hear from Emma until the call came in on the police scanner. A body found in a motel matching his missing friend's description. He found her. The picture of her lifeless body still haunts him every time he closes his eyes. They found a suicide note attached to the box with Meyers' name. Emma's personal effects, her baby blanket, the drawing, the stuff penguin Regina won at the festival, a photo strip of David and Emma and a key. They were more than just partners. Emma loved him and he let her down.

The key was to a safety deposit box; inside it contains the surveillance files on Cora, a copy of Henry Mills will, A video recording of Daniel's personal testimony and the live feed information of the bug Emma planted in Cora's office. His heart dropped to his stomach when he found out that Emma was right all along and no on not even him, believed in her. Emma's name and reputation was decimated by Cora and Leopold. They won. With anger filling his body with burning determination, he teamed up with Neal and got started to finishing Emma's work. They would honor the woman they loved by making sure justice was served.

Cora and Leo were unstoppable together but there is always a weak link in the chain. Everyone has a price; they just needed to find what Leo's number was.  
==============================================================================================================  
The play button was pressed on the tape recorder.

"Mister Cole! Come in come in. I take it the problem was dealt with?"

"Yes ma'am. We found him at her apartment, get this he had bruising all over his face it looks like she did a number on him before we got to him. He didn't put up much a fight, which was easy for us even used her own kitchen knife. Her prints will be all over it."

The sound of the woman's laughter fills the room "Excellent. Soon enough that whore will be locked away…" sounds of a metal lighter opening fill the room.

"Wouldn't you want us to take her out as well?"

"Unfortunately no… she is a Police officer, that will bring up too much suspicion and my husband really cannot deal with any of that nonsense. We'll wait and see how it all plays out."

The recording cuts out and static crackles until the recording starts again.

The door creaks open "Leo… Darling what a surprise!" the sound of heels hit the hard wood floor.

"I just wanted to come in sweetheart and personally tell you that the Swan matter is all taken care of."

"So they made an arrest."

"Not yet she is still on the run but I was able to pull some strings and have her on the FBI's most wanted list and….also new evidence links her to both Regina and Daniel's deaths."

"How is that possible?"

"Well let's just say at the right price a coworker was able to come forth with new information about the affair and her superiors complained about her outbursts when Regina died. Call it crimes of passion and Daniel the poor victim."

"This is why I love you dear."

The static crackle again as the tape is fast forward.

A menacing laugh fills the room "What a fool. Decorated Officer Sgt. Emma Swan who was recently on the FBI's most wanted List for the murders of Mayor Regina Mills and her husband Attorney Daniel Stables was found dead in Pete's Motel outside of Boston. Reports say it was a self-inflected gunshot wound. Investigators are calling it a double homicide and suicide, further reports reveal Swan and Mills were having an affair but allegations have been denied by Mayor Mills' family." Cora reads out loud. The sound of paper ruffle. "Thank you Miss Swan, looks like you took care of my problem for me."

The tape stops

Cora leans back in her chair; she wears an unimpressed almost bored look on her face. The indifferent features she wears mask the inner turmoil. She looks at the man as he pulls out photos and places them in front of her.

"As you can see Mrs. White the evidence is clearly stacked against you," Sheriff Hunter looked across the interrogation table at Cora.

"All I see sheriff is a pathetic attempt to try to get me to speak ill of my husband." Cora lites up a brown cigarette, she takes a long needed pull and exhales slowly. "I will not implicate Leo or myself to this little charade." She waves her hand flicking the cigarette sending ashes to sprinkle on the photos of Daniel, Emma and Regina.

"Well you see that's funny Mrs. White because the governor has been speaking very freely in your involvement." David said walking into the room.

Cora watches the blonde pull up the seat next to the sheriff. "You're lying. Why is he in here?" she looks incredulously at Sheriff Hunter pointing an accusing finger at David. "He is involved in the ploy to destroy my family." Cora cast an evil look at the cop. David in turn smiled.

"The only one plotting to destroy your family is you." David set a tape recorder on the table and hits play. Cora's eyes widened as she hears her husband's voice echo out of the machine; renouncing her.  
==============================================================================================================  
Betrayal.

Cora was guilty of this act countless times. She was guilty of the most vicious vile of things. Her hands were drenched with the blood of so many innocents that stood in her way. She poisoned her husband, abused her child, sold her off to keep her reins on Regina and plotted her daughter's death. She was in control. She was the one that held the strings, she orchestrated, she conspired…

She was in control.

But sitting in the in the small six by eight jail cell the stings of betrayal dug deep in her bones, the bed in the corner was stripped with dark stains of fluids buried deep in the mattress. The walls were scrapped by the helpless pleas of the previous inhabitants; it had the faint smell of urine and bleach. The conditions were disgusting for her, while her husband sat in a fucking resort of a prison. Leo was her weakness. The one who penetrated her obscure heart, the one who accepted her darkness, they reveled in the lies and murder caused by their love. They were destructive and volatile. They were something and he was...Pathetically her everything. He sold her out to save his own skin, most of the crimes were pinned on her and for testifying against her, he was convicted for less time. He did what Cora should have done… he loved himself more than her. She thought they were on the same page. The simple fact that she was wrong made her skin crawl with venom.

She no longer had control… now she waits for judgment, the same simple choice hanging in the balance that she bestowed on others, she faces now; they are calling for death. They are deciding on her fate and that didn't sit well with the older woman. She controlled and she would always be in control. She decided that if they were to call for her death then she would decide how. They kept her away from the general population in solitary confinement. She was never bothered nor was she watched.

In the dead of night Cora White takes her own life.

When they found her the blood was caked on her face, she bit her wrists, chewed through skin and nerve to blood rich arteries. Cora's blood slowly oozed out of her body' till she was no more.

She closed her eyes to this world and opened them to the next. She felt the heat radiate against her flesh. Opening her eyes she notices the darkness around her. The sulfurous skies painted with the dark tinges of dying flames. The ground squished beneath her feet, saturated with blood. She felt the welcoming warmth encase her skin. She felt like she was home.

Suddenly a basket appears in front of her, a simple wicker basket used for picnics. When she looks inside she sees a cornucopia of ripe fruits. Passion fruits, peaches, blood red apples and dark plums that glowed deliciously, the exotic appeal of these fruits called to Cora. Her mouth waters for a taste. Her stomach aches for its pleasure but why were they offered? Why was she here?

She looks around and sees red sand dunes surround her. She was alone in this place of desolation. The red sands look to burn of hot lava. She looks back at the fruits now they shine with a light glaze of condensation. She reaches out and grabs an apple, cupping the object with both hands and bringing it to her lips.

She inhales the intoxicating aroma through her nostrils and her eyes roll back in delight. It smelled delicious and opulent, her teeth penetrate the thin waxy skin and her mouth fills with sweet juices. A moan rips from the back of her throat as she takes another bite. She was lost in ecstasy, swallowing the bounty. A dull pain starts in her stomach. She hunches over as she feels a wave of nausea hit. Opening her eyes she gasps as the bright red apple in her hands was replaced by a rotten one, green sore spots of bacteria and maggots squirm in the hole left by her teeth. She throws the apple to the ground as the bile rises and hits the back of her throat.

She coughs violently as spurts of blood come out her mouth. The dull ache morphs in to sharp pains that force her to collapse on her knees. She grunts and screams as she feels something bubble beneath her skin. She presses her hands into the dirt as her skin burns and crack open. Blistering bubbles burst and leak, a green foul smelling puss ooze out. She screams in agony as her bones cracks and break. Her spine extends and rips open her lower back growing till it circles on the ground. Her nails sharpen and forms claws. She feels the scales grow down her back. The pain is so severe that she collapses and blacks out.

After some time when she opens her eyes again the world around her is redefined in vivid color. She watches the souls walk mindlessly in chains. The steel shackles wrapped around their necks moving them along like chattel. Moans and whimpers release from their lips as the horned beasts brings down the whip on their broken flesh.

It smelled of pain and misery… it smelled like home.  
===============================================================================================================  
Regina follows her father into the mass of souls accumulating at the entrance. The giant gates that reach up into the clouds look daunting as Regina gazes up. She sees the smoke rise in dark grey stacks spilling over the tops of the gate; she wipes the flakes that begin to fall. She looks at her hands and notices the dark residue. What is this? She thinks to herself moving closer she reaches the gates and gulps.

Bones.

Bones upon bones stacked together and tied and twisted with stretched out flesh and nerve, the stains of blood smear painting the cream surface. The realization is horrific. The gates of hell were built by corpses. The snowflakes reeks of burned flesh, the grey ash lightly coat every surface creating a false illusion of the peaceful snowfall. The torment and misery surrounds the souls trapped here awaiting entrance.

Regina…

The brunette whips her head at the sound of the soft whisper but all she sees is a sea of empty faces. She moves forward shoulders bumping into shoulders as she looks around.

Regina…

She hears it again and in the corner of her eye she sees a glint of gold. She moves deeper pushing the bodies out of her way. Desperate to find the voice calling out to her, then she sees it. Gold hair that curled at the tips.

Regina…

"I love libraries." Emma says as they enter the old building. Regina stood in awe as the vaulted ceilings of cedar held the aged structure up. The ethereal musty smell of the old book permeates in the air. The letters that piece together words that paint worlds for the minds to get lost in; all bound together by spines and covers. The library consisted of two floors, steel twirling staircases connecting the two levels. Emma turns to the brunette and grins.

Regina watches the woman she loves in vast fascination. The wonderment that fills her eyes as she runs her fingers on spine of the books are of utter happiness. Books have been Emma's friend when there was no one in her life. These books wiped her tears and sheltered her from her fears. These books held the answers to life and she was sharing a piece of herself to the brunette. Emma's long fingers slip from Regina's grasp as she walks deep in to the aisle.

Turning a corner the blonde moves swiftly the soft giggle escapes from the back of her throat. Regina understands the playful sound and moves quickly to follow. Turning the corner the glint of gold flashes in the corner of her eye.

"Emma…" she calls taunting softly. A name of beauty and wonderment, Emma, a woman full of love and grace. Regina searches for the blonde, who playfully hides and ducks in the aisles.

"Come find me…"

Regina's eyes are frantic, she moves rapidly sweeping through the aisles, and chocolate eyes scan the rows hoarded with books. The soft sounds of giggles capture her attention; it's coming from above. She moves towards the black staircase. One foot in front of another she ascends; the creek of metal that carries her weight ring in her ears; her attempt for stealth fails her. How did she not hear this when Emma used them?

On the second level, the row of shelves curved in a circle and crossed with perpendicular shelves connecting them; giving a new maze of books to walk through. She hears the creek of the old wood in the corner and her body sets out in a jog. The need to find Emma aches inside her body. The feeling of closeness is required.

A streak of yellow passes her and the older woman turns quickly to follow. Emma looks back and laughs excitedly as she turns a corner, Regina laughs along with her as her feet propel her forward. She watches as the blonde finds herself trapped in a dead end. "Well shit" the blonde says in a pant. She looks over her shoulder and smiles.

Emma's beautiful smile forces Regina to stop and stare. The blonde's green eyes sparkled with so much joy that it squeezed the brunette's heart. She releases a shaky breath. This woman was hers. That smile was because of her. Those eyes that penetrated and saw her very soul looked at her and only her that way. Regina moves slowly corning the woman against the shelf. The brunette's arms are placed on either side of Emma's body.

"Gotcha" Regina whispers against the blonde's parted lips. Emma's eyes stare wantonly at the brunette's mouth mentally begging for them to brush against hers. Emma's tongue darts out and slowly licks her lips. Regina watches and swallows the saliva accumulating in her mouth. The blonde smirks gaining her confidence back, the fact that they both knew how to make the other weak at the knees is a powerful detail. She wraps her arms around the older woman's neck pulling her closer, Regina's fingers flex and grip the blonde's hips.

Regina's body trembles as she feels the tip of Emma's nose graze up her neck. She hears the blonde take a deep breath in. "God.." the blonde moans. "You smell so good." The cop's fingers tangle into the brunette's short locks pulling her closer. Regina allows the blonde to control her body as she hears the cop inhale her in again. Her thighs quiver with need as Emma makes her come undone. A whimper escapes her lips as Emma's lips open to allow her teeth to bite the juncture of olive skin underneath her ear. The soft slow sweep of the blonde's tongue licking the sting makes the brunette tremble "Mm…it tastes as good as it looks." The deep tenor of the blonde's voice vibrates in the Mayor's eardrum. It rings and pulses the nerves rippling down her spinal cord to the space between her legs. Oh holy hell this woman knew just how to wine this woman up.

Regina's fingers grip on the blonde's ass pulling her close to press her against her aching core. A growl releases from the blonde throat. Thin long pale fingers grip tightly on Regina's chestnut hair pulling her mouth closer to her needy lips. Teasing no longer was amusing Emma's eyes burned with lust and passion. They burned brightly burrowing holes on Regina's lips. The older woman was a breath away from reprieve. She wanted her completely. This need that seared deep within her, she feared if she allow herself to slip, the animal that wanted Emma would run rampant on every inch of her alabaster skin. Regina's head jerked forward and sighed in relief as her lips pressed against needy lips.

"You got me" Emma moans turning her head as Regina kisses languidly on her neck.

"Yes I do."

Regina breaks out into a run. The feeling of happiness fills her body as she moves closer to the… Henry's hand grips on her coat stopping her. "Let go of me!" the brunette growls. She shakes her shoulder violently as her eyes focus on the sea of golden hair.

"It's not her Regina! It's not Emma!" his words slow down and slur. She was desperate for the woman she loves. She was desperate to find her. She shoves her father off and runs to the person. Tan fingers grasp on the lace on their arm and turns them.

The face that turns is not Emma's. The face that turns to look at the brunette does not even resemble a human. The mouth of the creature opens and releases a loud terrifying shriek. It snarls the fanged teeth painted with crimson, dripping of blood. Regina stumbles backwards in horror. The she-demon moves quickly upon her. Reaching over her shoulder she unsheathes her sword. The creature hisses at its glowing light but growls in anger. "You'll never find her" its sinister voice echoes in a low hiss. "She belongs to us." It howls.

Anger fills the brunette as she grips the hilt tightly "She's not yours!" Regina growls through gritted teeth. The demon laughs deeply and shakes her head. Its form shimmers and transforms. Regina blinks repeatedly. Emma's golden green eyes stare back at her. She stands frozen in place No this is a trick. The sword quivers in her trembling hands.

"Regina…? Please put that down" Emma's finger points to the sword aiming at her gut. "You found me." The blonde's voice breaks in glee. Regina shakes her head in disbelief. "No. You're not her!"

"Come on Regina. Baby please..." her voice desperately pleads.

The brunette's breath hitches. The way she says baby, it resonates in her mind. Emma... Her Emma. The blonde grins as Regina's face breaks into a watery smile. The glowing steel lowers and Regina moves forward desperately. Emma opens her arms welcoming the woman.

"REGINA NO!" Henry screams. The brunette turns to look at her father confused; he is running towards her with his own sword raised above his head. The brunette whips her head back at the growling sound. Emma's form was no longer there but the she-demons figure. Regina tries to lift the sword but the creature slaps it out of her hand. Its clawed fingers swing again and scratch her face. Three angry slits cut open Regina's face. The brunette screams in pain. The creature howls in evil laughter! "You'll never find her! That love makes you weak!" she watches the brunette stumble backwards. "I can see inside your soul. She is your weakness and we'll break you. You'll belong to us like she does." The creature transforms to Emma's form. The once green eyes that shined are black, voided of no soul. Emma looks at her and a sinister smile paints her face. "You'll die here."

Regina freezes by the demon's words. What if her love wasn't strong enough? What if their love wasn't as special as her son said? What if coming here was a lost cause? The doubt fills her mind. Maybe her mother was right, love is a weakness. These creatures knew what was in her heart and used it against her. They will torment her like a starved animal, dangling Emma above her like a piece of meat.

Regina's eyes focus back at the blonde she loved so much, the laughing abruptly stops as thin slit of red streaks across her neck. Its eyes stare at Regina as Emma's head slides off her neck. The decapitated head hits the ground in a thud, blood seep everywhere. Emma's figure disappears; the creature's body sizzles and melts in to the ground in a pool of green fluid.

"Regina! Don't listen to her!" Henry says as he uses the lap of his coat to wipe his blade clean. He reaches out his hand and Regina grips his forearm allowing him to pull her up. His strong arms pull her closely in a needed hug. She releases a sob. Henry comforts his daughter. "It's ok Regina."

"No it's not!" she pulls back from his hold "I was fooled by that thing! She looked like Emma! She-"

"I know my princess. I know... this place looks in your soul and uses it to torment you. Did you think it would be easy? It is all a test on your resolve. Have faith and trust in your love…it's the only way to find her." Henry reaches in his parcel and pulls out a bottle, uncorking the plug he pours the water over her wounds. It sizzles and bubbles in white foam like when using peroxide. Regina hisses at the stings of pain. The wounds heal instantly. She touches her face in wonderment.

"Do you still think I can?" she looks deeply in her father's eyes hoping to gain some confidence back.

Henry cups her face and smiles "They wouldn't have tempted you with her memory if she didn't matter that much." he places his hand on her chest. "This is where she is. This is where she belongs. Do not let them get into your head. Doubt is their friend and our enemy." Henry moves and picks up her sword and hands it back to his daughter "Come on the gates are opening."  
==============================================================================================================  
Cora stands by the edge of the cliff she takes in the vastness of this underworld; a place full of hate and torment. A place where she no longer needs a mask, her true monster was allowed to roam free. She slaughtered the lost and ate their hearts in pleasure. The beasts around her bowed down in respect. Hell was her domain. Her dark ovate shaped eyes watch the smoke rise in the dark horizon. She notices a glow of light in one of the far mountains that caught her curiosity. Her scapula bones cracks and extends, stretching out her wings. They flap vigorously lifting her body into the air. She flies over to inspect the blinking luminance. The mouth of the cave looked like sharp teeth, Cora lands and inspects the area. It was completely abandoned; opening her palm she produces a fire ball that illuminates the space.

She walks further in the faint sounds of dripping water echo in the cavernous hole. In the corner of her eye she sees a body. Moving closer to the soul and she smiles wickedly. The lifeless eyes lay open, no longer containing the fire they once burned. The hole in her chest was self-inflected, a smile of gleam paints her features. She closes her eyes and thanks whatever entity that gave her this precious gift. She understood that the souls that killed themselves will always remain lost. Their minds would be absent in the present, unable to experience reality and that they have actually died. This blankness was their punishment. The blonde was condemned to be lost in her head of suffering. Those lifeless eyes didn't notice Cora's figure, she didn't notice the creature grab her ankle and dragged her body out of the cave. She stayed motionless as the woman's wings flapped lifting their bodies into the air.

This woman was the catalyst that destroyed everything in Cora's life. Now she will have her revenge and she has all eternity to make this woman suffer. Now all she needed to do was wake the bitch up.  
=============================================================================================================

Regina and Henry continue to trek up the muddy soil, the dead trees stood tall, its roots protruded from the ground. Henry moves closer to one of the roots, he kicks it with his foot to test its strength, satisfied he moves to rest on it. Regina moves closer to her father with concern. His face was red and his breathing was more labored. "Dad are you ok?" she reaches out and places her hand on his forehead, feeling the hot skin beneath her fingertips.

"It's nothing." He moves her hand away.

"No it's not you're burning up."

"Honey we're in Hell… Did you expect fall weather?" he smiles then coughs as his daughter gives him an unamused look.

"I'm sorry. I'm just tired. Give me a moment and well keep going."

Regina stares at him for a moment and then lets out a sigh "Ok. I am just going to take a look around."

Henry nods as he pulls out a pouch and pours water over his head. Regina starts walking towards the river bank. The small pebbles crunched underneath her feet making her smile again. Then she hears a groan. She looks around the abandoned woods and sees nothing. Then she hears the groan again, pulling out her blade she sets out to investigate.

She walks up to a dead willow tree, one that sort of resembled the one her son loved to climb back in heaven. She hears the small wheezing coughs. Then she notices the figure leaning against the trunk of the tree. Moving slowly towards the figure her body is on high alert after the other attack. Regina stops stunned as she sees Daniel's body. A butcher's knife was sticking out from his chest. The brunette's shirt was stained with blood. His breathing was labored and sounded as if he was drowning.

"Regi-" the man starts but fluid fills his throat and he coughs violently, blood streaks down his chin.

"Oh Daniel what have they done to you?" she looks at him with sadness.

Emma finally stops pacing and looks back at Regina's spirit. Her eyes burned with rage. "I am going to kill him!" she growls as she walks over to her safe, pulling out her gun and inserting the clip.

Regina rushed over to the blonde "Emma! No. You can't do this!"

The cop gives her an incredulous look "And why the hell not?" her brow scrunches in anger "I should have put a bullet in his brain that day in your house!"

"You can't go around shooting people!"

"Hell I can't! He killed you!"

Regina places her hand on the blonde's shoulder and sighs sadly as her hand falls right through the woman's form. "Not on purpose Emma. I don't think he intentionally was set out to kill me. He was chasing me, it was raining. It was an accident." The brunette wraps her arms around herself.

"He left you there Regina!"

Regina looks at her lover sympathetically "Listen Emma. You can't give in to this hate darling. It wouldn't make you feel any better; it would only make you end up in prison. Please just calm down."

"How can you be ok with this?" Emma lets out a breath and relaxes to Regina's soothing voice "How can you be ok with him marrying you for money?"

The older woman shrugs "There isn't much I can do my love but forgive. This is out of my hands and I truly believe that he will pay for his crimes but not by me and certainly not by you."

Emma smiles and stares lovingly at the brunette. She reaches up to caress where Regina's cheek would be "You're a better person than me. I would never forgive them for this."

Regina closes her eyes, almost feeling the woman's touch "Being a ghost gives you a perspective on what's truly important."

Daniel's eyes glisten as he stares at the brunette. Regina glowed with a beauty he has never seen before. Her eyes sparked with love. Her hair was longer. Her skin was tanner. She was the definition of an angel. He tries to speak but the pain in his chest was just too much.

"I'm-"Daniel tries again but the brunette places her fingers on his lips. His eyes ask for an explanation. The woman just shakes her head and smiles sadly at him. "I know Daniel… I'm sorry too. Maybe in another life you'll find your happiness…"

Daniel groans loudly in pain as Regina grasps the hilt of the knife and it pulls out. The brunette cries out as the steel is removed from his chest. "Find peace Daniel… I forgive you." Regina kisses her lips and presses them against the man's forehead. A beam of golden light shines of Daniel's body. The pain that infected his body ceased. His eyes glisten at the beautiful sparkles that danced before his eyes. The light surrounds him as he feels the soft caress of forgiveness and love. He takes one last look at Regina, whispering thank you as he vanishes into the light.

Regina stays on her knees in awe. Her son was right love and forgiveness was powerful. If she could save Daniel then she could save Emma. Her soul was once again awakened with determination. She needed to find Emma. She needed to save her.

The ground begins to tremble as stone boulders sprout from the river creating a bridge to the other bank. Regina looks over to the other side. Mountains painted the horizon. Thunderous flashing clouds circle the tallest mountain. Something inside Regina told her that Emma would be there.  
==========================================================================================================

Emma screams as she feels the claws rip the skin down her arm. The haze in her brain lifts abruptly as she looks over to the nails cut open her skin. Tears leak from her eyes. The sound of the creature's sinister laugh grabs her attention. Green eyes widen in horror as the creatures features become familiar. "Cora?" she whispers in disgust.

"Nice to see you again." The woman says sarcastically, her sharp teeth glint when she smiles.

"Where am I? Where's Regina?" Emma says as she tries to move her body she looks down and notices the bounds crossed against her body. The more she struggles the more the ropes tighten, squeezing her chest making it hard to breathe.

"It seems that my daughter was too good for this place. Look around you dear. You're in hell!"  
============================================================================================================

Regina and Henry race up the mountain as the feelings of pain rack through the brunette's body. Instinctively she knew that something was happening to the other half of her soul. Hot tears slide down her face, blurring her vision. She stumbles to her knees as she feels the air squeeze out her lungs.

Henry grabs this daughter's arm and pulls it over her shoulder, carrying the weight of them both he continues up. "Emma!" the brunette groans and she feels the burn down her arm

"Hold on Regina." Henry pleads with his daughter, his heart aches knowing that he couldn't do anything to stop her suffering. "Focus on Emma."

"Where do you see yourself in five years?" the blonde asks as her tongue licks the salty skin between Regina's breasts. The response given by the brunette was more a moan that erupts from the back of her throat. Her chest was still heaving from the last orgasm that rippled through her body, her legs twitched as jolts of pleasure still ached between her legs. Emma made good on her word that when they made love, they would do it for hours. Hours spent touching and kissing and memorizing every inch of skin. Lips tasted and savored. They collapse in a mess of limbs, their messy locks cling to their sweaty skin, they smile lovingly at each other in their postcoital bliss.

Regina finds her voice after some time. Emma's head was resting on her breast. She grazes her fingers softly up Emma's spinal column, feeling the younger woman shiver. "I see us in a big white house with a wraparound porch." Regina says in a raw voice. Emma lifts her head to look into the brunette's eyes. The cop's lips twitch up to form a smile. Regina threads her fingers in Emma's long hair "I see a little girl with blonde hair running around." Emma smiles wider at the idea of kids, their kids. Regina smiles shyly. She's thought about this before. When she was denying her feeling for the woman, she would sit in her office lost in the thoughts of what if's and maybes. What if we got together? What if we started a family? What would they look like? The possibilities were endless in her mind. "I see you play fighting with our son and me warning you about being too rough. I see happiness and family vacations. I see bills and mortgages and worrying about if we should get a puppy. I see us, Emma. I see myself with you."

"Get away from her!" Regina screams as she blocks the tail coming down towards her Emma's neck. The moment Cora's scaled skin hits the blade she hisses in pain. The smell of burning flesh waft in Regina's nostrils. The blade glows deep amber red as Regina screams swinging the blade again. Cora screams as the sharp steel slices her skin. Cora whips her hand back colliding with Regina's chest, sending her flying a few feet away.

"Nooo!" Emma screams as she struggles with the ropes, the fire burns in her eyes glow under her green irises. "Regina!" she gasps as she feels the ropes loosen, her head jerks to the side as she notices the older man. She was just about to scream but she notices the peace in his eyes, he places his finger over his lips. Emma nods in understanding and looks back to her lover.

"Emma!" Regina grunts on the scorched earth her bloody hands grip on the dirt as she stumbles back to her feet, picking up her sword that rolled beside her she moves towards her mother. Cora growls and moves just as the blade slices through the air.

"You Fool! Love is weakness!" she swings her clawed hand towards Regina's face.

The brunette dodges the movement by rolling to the ground she flips back on to her feet but just as she turns around Cora is right behind her. Regina screams as Cora's sharp nails latch in her neck. She yells out in pain, the nails slip in to her tender flesh, lifting her up in the air. "You gave up heaven for her? No one is worth that much." her mother growls.

"You don't even know what love is!" Regina raps out as her fingers cling and scratch at the claws on her throat.

"I know what it is not. I know how it disappoints you." Cora spats in disgust; the bitterness in her voice burns the brunette's skin.

"You took that from me!" she raps out as tears streak down her face.

"I am your mother! I know what you need."

"You know nothing!" Regina swings her legs frantically trying to kick her mother.

"You think you can save her? She's useless and weak. She's-"the words were cut off as Henry's body collides with the creature, tumbling them towards the ground. Henry clings to Cora as her hands free Regina's neck. The brunette coughs violently tasting the blood in her throat.

Cora swings her arms wildly trying to free herself from Henry's arms. "I will not let you harm my daughter anymore. Emma run!" he shouts out and the blonde wiggles from the loose ropes and moves forward. Her legs pound into the earth bringing her closer to Regina who was taking gulps of air.

Cora's pulls her arm back knocking her elbow into Henry's temple. The man's strong hold loosens and she twists out. She watches the blonde run towards Regina. Her body fills with rage and she whips her tail towards the blonde.

"Nooooo!" Regina screams.

Cora's tail pierces through Emma's stomach. She watches as the green eyes widen in shock her thin lips gape open in horror, she looks down at the spiked tail protruding from her stomach slide out from her. The white shirt she wore begins to saturate with the flow of blood. Emma looks back up to Regina and she falls to her knees in a heavy thud. Pale hands cover the wound.

Regina crawls on her hands and knees quickly towards her fallen lover "Please Emma… no no this can't be happening!" Emma releases a painful breath and falls forward. Regina cradles the blonde's body in her arms.

"I…" Emma coughs up blood that smears, staining her lips "I'm…S-sorry." The words fall out in gurgles.

Regina shakes her head as the hot tears leak down her face. "No..no..my darling never apologize" her dirty fingers push strands of the blonde's hair away from her face.

"I.. never thought…" more blood trickles down her pale neck "I see you again.."

"I'm here. I will never leave you. I promised I would never leave you." Regina sobs

"I wish..for more….time…. with you…" the words come quick as the blonde's breathing picks up.

"Pathetic!" Cora hisses. She moves forward raising her tail like a spear, ready to strike again. "I will destroy your happiness, if it is the last I-" Regina closes her eyes accepting her fate. She will die here. She will lose her soul in hell with Emma if need be. "Emma…" the brunette whimpers as she clings tighter shielding Emma with her body.

A shocked gasp forces the brunette to open her eyes. The bright blade was protruding from the serpent's chest. Regina's eyes widen as she notices her father gripping the sword "Stay away from my daughters!" Henry roars as he uses all his strength moving the blade upward splitting Cora's form in two. The halves of Cora's body unravel to the ground sizzling and disintegrating to ashes.

"R-gina" Emma whispers as her eyes open slowly. Her lips twitch in a weak smile.

"My love…." Regina says as she cups the blonde's cheek.

"At least I die…ag-ain…w-with you." Emma fights to say.

Regina lets out a heart breaking cry as she wipes the tears slipping from Emma's eyes "Don't fight it my love. I'll be with you. I'll stay here with you forever."

Emma smiles weakly "Forever.." she whispers "I…Lov…yu…" she says as the last breath in her body expels, the light that shined so brightly dims slowly. Regina's brown eyes flicker back and forth searching for life. Her bottom lip trembles as her limbs shake. "Noooo!" the brunette screams into the humid air as she clutches her lover's body. The roar echoes as it quakes the ground. She had her. Emma, she found her again. She achieved the impossible and the blonde slipped right through her fingers.

"Regina I'm so sorry." Henry kneels besides her, placing his hand on her shoulder, Regina jerks at the comfort as she presses Emma's limp body against her. "Leave." She whispers against Emma's skin.

"I can't leave you here."

"I said Leave!" Regina screams at her father. "I am not leaving her."

"But she's gone…"

"Then I will die here."

"No you can't"

"No? I came all this way to be with her and I will not let her go. I love her. You didn't think I could find her and I did. Her soul has to be here…I will find her."

"I promised you that I wouldn't let you do this alone. If you stay….So will I..."

Regina nods once as she continues to stare into Emma's lifeless eyes. Pushing some blonde hair behind the woman's ear. Regina presses her forehead against Emma's as she closes her eyes, the tears seep down her blood stained face. "I love you Emma. I found you once and I will find you again. Life, death, heaven nor hell will keep us apart. You and I are forever." Regina pulls her face back to get another look at her lover. Regina's trembling fingers trace the blonde's lips. She moves forward leaning her face closer. I love you she breathes against Emma's cold lips right before she presses her skin against skin.

The moment their lips meet the dark ash clouds crack open and roar with thunder. Lightning flashes and strikes the ground surrounding Regina and Emma. Regina presses her lips harder against the dead lips and then another strike of lighting hits them. Regina's eyes widen as Emma takes a deep breath in. Regina pulls back and her heart instantly melts. Emma was glowing; her hair blazed like gold, her skin flushed with life and a smile so wide that almost split her face. "Hey…." The blonde says

Regina laughs. Deep from the pit of her belly laugh. The noise emitting from her lips sound so unfamiliar because seriously when was the last time she felt this utter joy?

The blonde grins and her eyes focus on the lips that brought her, her salvation. Green irises bursting with gold stare at the brown orbs. Regina, the love of her life. Came back for her.

She died and came back for her. She crossed over and abandoned a life of peace for her. She followed her to hell and she was willing to give up her soul for…her.

Regina loved Emma in every way. The emotions that ran through her soul were pure and unconditional. She loved her more than life itself, more than herself. Emma looks at those beautiful brown eyes and she feels the woman's love radiate in waves. Her hand lifts up slowly and caresses Regina's soft skin. Oh she feels like silk. Regina closes her eyes and leans in to Emma's touch. "I love you too" Emma whispers as her hand cups the back of the brunette's head pulling her in.

Lips meet again in a tender kiss. The light that shines from the center of their chests bursts outward in a pulse of energy. The light encases the space all around them eradicating all the pain with a warm inviting loving light. Regina smiles against the blonde's lips as she closes her eyes loosing herself to Emma Swan.

The sound of giggling makes Regina's eyes snap open at the soft sound. She pulls back from Emma's eager lips. She watches her green eyes flutter open. They share a loving smile. Regina cups Emma's cheek and slowly they both turn when the gentle voices calls for them.

"Mom…Momma…"

"Henry…" Regina whispers and reaches out for her son's hand. Emma takes a sharp breath in as her eyes drink in his features. Dark hair like Regina and eyes that matched her own. Henry… Their son. Eyes meet in recognition and the smile that breaks his angelic face was so beautiful that it brings tears to her eyes. Emma releases a watery laugh as she also extends her hand for her son suddenly needing him in her arms.

Henry runs into their arms. The arms of these women wrap so tight around their son. Making a silent promise to never let him go. A family is finally reunited. "You did it momma. You saved mom!"

Regina laughs as she runs her fingers through his hair "You knew that I would. You believed in me, in us Henry. You made this all possible."

"We were meant to be together momma. Our love is magic." He giggles, his eyes dance with mirth.

"Your voice…." Emma whispers as she cups her son's face, her green eyes stare in astonishment. "I've heard it before."

The boy nods sadly. "I told you to let go…"

Regina's eyes snap to her son. What are they talking about? "Darling what is he talking about?" the brunette's voice wavers as she looks back to the blonde.

Emma's eyes look down to her lap, her brow scrunches as she recalls. "Well…when I killed myself just before the darkness took me I heard Henry's voice… He told me to believe in us. That you were coming. I trusted him and let the darkness take me. When I got here I forgot… I was so wrapped in my misery I forgot us…" the blonde's voice breaks.

"It's ok Mom. Hell was created for torment. You just needed to believe and Momma did all the rest." The boy smiles proudly at Regina.

"How did you know that I will get to her?" The brunette shakes her head in wonder.

"I told you mom" he presses his little finger on her nose "I see the tomorrows and this is what I saw for today…"

"I love you guys." Emma laughs as she pulls the two most important people against her chest. "So what happens now?" She cradles their heads in her hands.

"We go home." The boy says as he giggles.  
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Fairytale Land

"Sweetheart must you always go against me?" Snow sighs as she watches her daughter ride beside her carriage.

"Honestly mother I would have thought by now you would understand that I am not like every other girl. I am more than a woman, more than your princess, more than your Knight. I am just Emma… isn't that enough?" Emma says as her horse trots on the wet soil.

"Of course it is my child but it's raining! What would the Queen think when she sees the Princess of the Northern lands sodden and in armor?"

"She would think nothing. This is her Coronation, is she not being crowned Queen today without a husband? A woman is leading her kingdom without a King and you think my actions are progressive?" Emma laughs and shakes her head.

"My dear you are of royal blood. We must present ourselves as such. I expect when we arrive you change to the gown I brought for you."

Emma rolls her eyes and gives her mother a pointed look. "I beg of you just this once my child can you obey me? After our proper introductions you may change but please do this for your father and I?"

"Fine Mother but right after I will change." Emma huffs as she grips her reins and sets her horse out in a run into the rain.

"Daddy I've missed you." Regina's arms wrap around her father's neck. "There are moments in my life that you need to be present for and today is one of them…" she pulls back to look in to his eyes. He smiles and cups her cheek. "My sweet girl you think I would miss this? This is a very big day for our Kingdom."

Regina's bright eyes falter and she looks down "What if I fail them? How could you entrust me to care for this Kingdom that you love so much?" the brunette sighs. Her father has been growing weaker in his age. It's been weeks since her father left his bed, the fevers came more frequent and his memory would come and go. Regina prayed for days like today, her father, the King stood tall, his silver plated staff etched with elaborate vines and jewels gripped tightly by his wrinkled fingers. She remembered those days when they would spend taking walks in the gardens until he wasn't strong enough to stand. She would spend hours beside him when the fevers hit, praying to the Gods for relief.

The announcement came after his Majesty was lost again, he couldn't remember anything not even his beloved daughter's face, the council of knights and nobles decided that Princess Regina was to be his successor; The Queen of the Southern Lands and Firewoods and the kingdom was over joyed, for they loved their beloved King and Princess. The coronation ceremony was arraigned and all royals from each kingdom of the North, East and West were to attend.

Henry places his fingers underneath her chin and forces her chocolate eyes to look back at him. "My sweet child…You cannot doubt yourself. I believe in you the people love you… there is no possible way for you to fail them. You will make a great Queen child." he wipes the single tear that slides down her face. "As a King I know I am leaving this Kingdom in trusted hands. You are kind and gentle and you love me and these people. Your heart is your greatest asset. Trust it. I know when I leave this earth you will be okay. Now that we have that settle we need to discuss something of importance."

"And what is that Father?"

"Love. Love my child. I cannot leave you not knowing that your heart is not protected as is my Kingdom."

"Oh father, I do not see that happening for me." She turns slowly and walks towards the window overlooking the vast kingdom. Henry stands behind her and places his big strong hand on her shoulder. "You will have it my child. And it will be a great love; they will complete you in ways you do not understand."

"You speak as if you have foreseen this."

"I …"

Regina turns slowly looking in to his deep brown eyes "Father have you foreseen this?"

The King smiles and pushes a strand of her long hair behind her ear "In my fevers I've seen many things. Your happiness is one of them. I cannot say for it must happen when the fates decide but I can die a happy man for what's to come my sweet."

There was a knock on the wooden door to her changing chambers. Regina turns back to father giving him a look as to say this conversation was far from over, taking a big breath she smiles at him "Wish me luck." The princess turns when the door creaks open opens.

The young maid curtseys at her sovereigns "Your Grace, the royals are arriving."

Regina nods in gratitude "Very well, see to it they are all settled before the ceremony."

"Yes your majesty."  
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A/N: Take a moment and process what you just read and please please Share your thoughts in that box below! *pouts*

So who is up for second chances? Happy Holidays!! 


	11. Chapter 11

Till Kingdom Come

A/N: I wanted to thank everyone who has followed, reviewed and read this fic. This year has been wonderful because of all of you. So finally our ladies meet again! So I hope you guys enjoy! Happy New Year!  
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Part XI

"Mother must this be laced so tight?" Emma cringes as her maid pulls the strings to her corset; she takes in a short breath as the fabric tightens on her chest.

"Beauty is pain my darling daughter." The queen chimes "you would be accustomed to such tasks if your father hadn't gifted you that sword many moons ago… that day I lost my little girl." Snow says dramatically.

Emma rolls her eyes at her mother's words. It is true she was not use to getting all dressed up but honestly she never enjoyed it. Emma was a free spirit that roamed wild. She loved riding her horse as fast as she could, the wind blowing through her flowing long hair that glowed under the sun. Adventure is what she seeks and the many dresses she ruined in her youth could attest to that. On her twelfth birthday her father presented her with her first sword and bow; she squealed with sounds unimaginable to Snow and ran into her father's arms; he knew her, he saw her for what she was and never asked for more or less.

After that little princess Emma went for her true heart's desire, to be part of her father's guard. She trained and practiced honing in her skills. Instead of etiquette classes her mother insisted on, she learned how to disarm a man with her bare hands. Instead of dancing lessons she perfected how to hunt and track down game like the other men. Emma could shoot an arrow while her horse was galloping at top speeds and land on her target every time. By the age of 20, Emma was the youngest knight on her father's court.

Emma was not the typical princess to say the least; her hands were rough to the touch as callus grew over the palms of her hands, her skin was fair like her mother's but riddled with little scars that glinted in the sun from her many times a blade would graze her skin. Instead of crying over love, the blonde knight leaked tears of pain when she dislocated her shoulder. Emma was strong and courageous; she carried the grace of a princess with all the finesse of a Knight. She is the product of her parents, Snow's beauty and James' brave heart.

"I still don't understand." Emma says the last word an octave higher as the last strings are tied tight. Giving her maid a stern look she releases a breath as she turns around to the full length mirror. Greens eyes look up and down inspecting herself in unfamiliar dressings. "Why I must wear this when everyone knows I am a captain on your guard?" Emma sighs as her hands bunch the fabric and raises it so she could move off the step.

"Emma, you are a princess before you are a knight. We are not going into battle; we are going to a ball…" Snow sighs "Oh Emma…you look absolutely beautiful…" Snow says in awe as Emma comes out from behind the screen divider. The blonde's mother moves closer to her daughter and encircles the girl as she dusts off imaginary lint from her shoulder "You were gifted with true beauty my sweet child. Sometimes it's nice to see the girl I gave birth to." Snow cups her daughter's cheek and smiles lovingly.

Emma sympathetically returns the smile and places her hand over Snow's "I will always be a woman mother but I am more than my gender surely I have proven that?" her brow raises earnestly .

"Of course Emma. You have proven yourself worthy of your title…you are more than I have ever dreamed of for you. I beg you to forgive me daughter on my behavior through the years. I am so proud of you and you honor your father and I with your strength and bravery. I could never think less of you… this is just nice. You can be both a princess and a knight. You have proven that. Let's just enjoy this evening?"

Emma nods as she turns back around to the mirror. The pale blue dress that looked like the moonlit kissed snow that falls on her lands flowed down to the tips of her boots. It was very beautiful and brought out the color in her eyes. She could do this for one night. There is no need for her long sword tonight. She releases a breath and looks at her mother through the mirror "Thank you mother."  
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Henry places the golden crown on top of Regina's head "In the name of all that is righteous and true to the land I crown thee Queen of the Summerlands."

Regina releases a shaky breath and looks up to her father. His eyes glistened with tears as his lips move up and break open for a smile baring his teeth. Regina allows herself to smile as her hand slips in his "Now rise my Queen and face your kingdom." Henry pulls his daughter up from her knees.

"Thank you my King." She bows in respect but her father places his fingers underneath her chin and makes her look at him. Henry shakes his head saying you no longer have to bow to me.

Henry turns and grabs the golden scepter matching the elaborate patterns and jewels of his cane. "Take this scepter to represent that you are the rightful ruler of this land. May your heart remain true as you lead with righteousness and may your mind always remain open to change. May your wisdom and virtue listen to the voices of your nation for you and I are nothing without them." The golden scepter lays on top of his open palms as he moves it closer to Regina.

The brunette's sun kissed hand trembles as she reaches out, placing her fingers around it and pulling it upright. "I swear with my life my King to lead our people whom I love with all my heart. I will protect them from those set to do us harm. I look upon them as my children, my equals. They will be safe and loved. This I solemnly swear."

Henry smiles and nods as he places his hand on the hilt of his sword and unsheathes it from the scabbard tied to his waist. "With this may you lead and protect this nation and only use it in times of great peril, May you cut the ties of injustice and rule with equanimity. This is an extension of your strength and courage. Remember that by taking this sword you are acknowledging your commitment and unity to your people. This sword was created by uniting all the elements; Air, Fire, Water and Earth. They all come together in perfect harmony. Treasure it." Henry moves the sword so that the hilt is being presented to his daughter the metal blade rests on his forearm. The King bows before his daughter acknowledging her title as his sovereign, his Queen.

Regina grips the hilt of her father's sword, the sword that has been passed down from the many Kings before her, this was a great honor and she would treasure it. She pulls the sword towards her and feels the weight it bears. To her it symbolizes the burden she was about to carry and felt oddly grateful for taking it off her father's shoulders. Regina raises the sword above her head and the kingdom erupts in cheer.

A beautiful smile paints the brunette's face as her eyes dance to look upon her kingdom. Her people loved her and she loved them. They watched her grow from a beautiful babe to a graceful woman. Their love for the woman was unconditional because they knew she was pure of heart. She would never leave them astray. Regina was not just their Queen but also their Mother. Henry moves closer and kisses her temple smiling as his eyes watch his people cheer.

"This is a blessed day. May the sun forever shine down upon us. May the fates forever be in our favor. Today you make me not only a proud King but a proud father."

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Regina sighed in relief as she pulls out the pins in her hair, releasing her hair to fall down in waves passed her shoulders. Her thin fingers thread and comb out the curls. The soft warm breeze kisses her skin as she stands on the balcony. The moonlight glows and bounces off the calm waters of the ocean near her castle. The closed doors muffle out the sounds of music and laughter coming from the celebration inside. She's a Queen and all the land the moon touches is hers. That reality was a bit daunting but her father and the court believes in her, it's about time she starts believing in herself.

"You remind me so much of your mother when your mind is lost in thought." The voice says from behind her.

Regina looks over her shoulder to see her father standing against the stone wall. His hands rested on the handle of his cane in front of him.

"It is a pity I never had the chance to see her beauty before she passed."

Henry sighs as he looks at the moon, "It was a great loss for the both of us child. I lost my wife and you lost a mother."

"Was she as wicked as they all say she was?" Regina turns to look at her father. She watches has his eyes harden and he swallows thickly.

"I could not see beyond the love I had for her. She was a beautiful creature, she was intelligent and callous. Our marriage was not born from love. She was the means of a deal by her kingdom to mine. I grew to love her and see her as my wife and not just dowry to our kingdoms uniting. She didn't see me that way and resented me greatly. I did not know that she loved another; they plotted a coup to overtake my kingdom. I would have given her up if she asked but she sought out other means. When their army was storming our castle, if the maid hadn't stopped her she would have killed you when you were still a babe. It was an act of treason. It was out of my hands." He lets out in a tired breath.

The brunette's eyes widen in realization "You watched her execution?"

Her father nods slowly and wipes the tear escaping his eye "As a King it was my duty and to this day it still breaks my heart."

Regina moves closer to the older man "I'm sorry father. Is this why you never remarried?"

Henry reaches for her hand and pats it with his "She had my heart and her betrayal broke it. I couldn't go through that again. I had to focus and protect you. After what she took I only had enough love left for you." He cups Regina's face with his hands. "You are the greatest gift in my life and it hurts me so when I look upon your face and not remember how my heart weighs heavily for you."

Regina smiles sadly "It's alright father. I know that I am loved by you. No matter where your mind wanders to that you will always be by my side."

Henry's eyes glaze over as he is lost in thought. After a moment his brown eyes focus on hers "That is precise my child. Through heaven or through purgatory I will always be by your side." He pulls her face closer and kisses her cheek. "Come. There is a celebration in your honor that we must be present for."

Regina sighs heavily as she loops her arm in his "Father, you know that I am not fond of these types of festivities. I crave silence and solace. "

Henry hums in acknowledgement "Oh but my dear this one I do not think you would want to miss."

"And why is that?" she looks over to stare at him.

Because you will see her is what he thinks as he smiles at her "this is your day child… allow for once in your life to just live a little." Henry says with an amused tone he watches his daughter scowl as he escorts them back inside.  
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Snows rolls her eyes as her husband snickers beside her. "Emma must you chew with your mouth open like a barbarian?" she turns over to her daughter who bites the loaf of breath rather aggressively and chews loudly as she looks at the man staring at her across the room.

"I do not like to be stared at mother. Do you see that man! He's older than air and he watches me like a piece of meat. I would love to cut that smirk off his face!" she growls as a piece of bread hangs from her lips.

"Emma, my merciless daughter." James places his hand on her shoulder. "Relax. Do you not see he is inebriated? He is no threat to you. We are here for peaceful matters; there is no need for you to put your guard up." He smiles lovingly at her and places his hand on her shoulder giving it a soft squeeze. Snow scuffs at how easily her husband tames their daughter.

Emma relaxes and swallows thickly. "I'm sorry. I was not raised to act in such a manner." She looks at her father and tries to smile through the embarrassment reddening her cheeks.

James shrugs and shakes his head "It is alright. So older isn't your type."

"Try ancient." Emma grunts.

James lets out a bark of laughter as he shakes his head. "Right, you need someone of strong will. You need someone who isn't afraid of your mood swings." He grins as Emma shoots him a look "They need to look at you as I see you…precious."

The blonde smiles softly at him; she truly was a daddy's girl through and through. He understood her and accepted her. He never underestimated her and that was something she truly appreciated. Their bound seem to always dig deeper than the normal father/ daughter dynamic; they were friends and fighting partners. They trained and rode together. They joked around and spoke about deep meaningful things on their hunting trips. "Thank you father but I do not think there is such a person. I know how mother wishes I was more like her so a prince wouldn't find me so intimidating." Emma looks over to her mother who was nodding at her comment and she rolls her eyes.

James bumps his shoulder into Emma's "You can't chose who you love. It will find you and you just have to hope you are ready for the ride."

"Excuse me your Majesty" the young man bows in front of him "My name is Baelfire, I am prince of the Easternlands May I ask your daughter for this dance?"

"You may ask but her response is hers and hers alone." James replies as he looks the man from top to bottom. The prince wore a silver and ivory tunic with gold trimmings. He was handsome and carried an air of arrogance that the King did not like.

"She'll accept!" Snow shouts instantly as the prince bows in her direction and kisses her hand "Thank you your majesty."

Emma's eyes widen in horror as her mother beats her to the punch. She was just about to decline but she smiles as her father gives Snow an annoyed disappointed look.

"If it pleases my Queen, I'll accept for just one dance." Emma grits through her teeth as she places her hand in his. Prince Baelfire smiles warmly at her. "This way Princess." He escorts her to the dance floor.

"I would prefer if you would call me by my name, Emma and not by my title."

The prince chuckles, "I heard rumors about you princess." He says as he ignores her simple request.

Emma releases an irritated breath "What have you heard? I wouldn't find you as a man interested in idle gossip. "

"On the contrary, I heard that you are the youngest Knight in your father's court."

Emma's face breaks out in to a smile "Yes this is true."

"I find it endearing that the King lets you indulge in your little fantasies but a woman as a knight? That burden should be left to the men. Women should be at home with the children and protected by us." He says as he places his hand on her lower back and pulls her closer to him.

"Excuse me?" the blonde shakes her head completed thrown off by his haughtiness.

"I mean no offense your highness but I think that your place belongs beside your future King." the young man's voice lowers as his eyes stare at her breasts. He presses his hand a little lower near Emma's bottom.

Emma leans in and whispers in his ear "If you touch me any lower I promise to cut your fingers off." She pulls back with an innocent smile as she places her hands on his shoulder. She watches in delight as his Adams apple bounces as he swallows her threat.

They dance in silence as they move around the dance floor effortlessly. Emma rolls her eyes as the band plays the longest song known in her existence. Just as the prince moves her to spin that's when she sees her; the most beautiful sight that has ever graced her eyes. The room fades away and all she sees is her. The brunette hair that bounced at the end of her curls as the woman walked beside the older man. She watches the lips move responding to the man. Her skin glowed of caramel and it left Emma wanting to know if it tasted as sweet. Emma spins but as her foot touches the ground she steps on her dress. The loud ripping of the fabric erupts and bounces off the walls. All movement and chatter cease as eyes gaze on the blonde whose dress is ripped from her hips.

Brown eyes meet green and Emma's heart skips a beat. The color, the movement… everything else just faded away. Those eyes… as if she has seen them before. Those chocolate orbs that glowed with such familiarity. She watches in slow motion as the brunette's lips twitch up into a smile and it melts the blonde's insides. Emma takes a step to move closer to the woman but her feet tangle in the fabric, sending her crashing to the hardwood floor.

"Are you alright?"

Emma's head snaps up to look at the woman whose face graced her with the most beautiful smile and whose eyes sparkled with amusement and wonder. Emma nods dumbly as the words seem to escape her mind.

After a moment the brunette's brow raises in questioning and Emma gaping mouth closes and shake her head, trying to focus. "I am alright thank you. I just bruised my ego is all." Emma lifts herself up from the ground.

The woman lets out a soft chuckle from the back of her throat and extends her hand to help. Emma stares at the beautiful tan fingers for a moment then places her hand in the brunettes. The moment their hands meet a current of electricity sparks and radiate throughout every inch of their bodies. Emma watches as the brunette's breath hitches. The sensations that attack her body are new. Her knees quiver her hands shake and she couldn't stop staring at this woman's beautiful face.

Regina helps the blonde to her feet. All the worries she felt for the woman who fell vanished and were replaced with an explosion of fluttering butterfly wings as the golden green eyes stare at her. She swallows thickly and takes in a deep calming breath. Emma's chest rises and falls rapidly to compensate to the pounding of her heart. The blonde licks her lips before she speaks "pardon me but have we met before?"

The brunette pauses for a moment because for the life of her she could have sworn to have looked into those memorizing eyes before. Maybe this creature entered her dreams? Maybe she was an angel? But the feeling in the back of her mind knew that those eyes and those lips that are being currently moisten… She has seen it all before. "If we had…I would have remembered" Regina's voice drops and she smiles as she watches the blonde's eyes slip close. Those words stir within both women; a feeling of deja vu.

"Princess, are you alright?" Baelfire asks as he approaches the blonde. Regina eyes snap out of her haze and looks at the man staring at her blonde. Wait what? "Princess?" she asks looking at the beautiful woman who was wearing breeches under her dress. She smirks as she notices she was wearing riding boots and a small dagger strapped to her thigh.

Emma looks down and back up at the brunette, a faint brush of red paints her cheeks and the tips of her ears. "My name is Emma, Princess and Knight of the Northernlands." Emma crosses her arm over her waist and bows to the brunette.

"Welcome your highness. I am Regina, now Queen of the Summerlands."

Emma and the man beside her both widen their eyes as they bow again "Your Majesty."

"Please don't" Regina waves her hand begging for them to stop. She really didn't like all that attention. The Queen looks directly at the blonde she lifts her hand, Emma quickly scrambles to grab it and they start to move away from the prince. Baelfire's chest puffs up in annoyance and he storms off in the opposite direction.

"Please call me Regina." the brunette whispers in a small voice

Emma's heart pounds rapidly, the softness in the woman's voice sounds of a siren's song. It was a sweet melody to her ears. "Alright Regina…" Emma says and smiles shyly. Honestly what was happening to her? They start to move away but Emma stops and looks at the young woman and then to the band, she swallows the lump in her throat. "Would you allow me this dance?"

Regina smiles and nods eagerly. Something inside her snaps and the feelings that appeared out of nowhere drive Regina forward. Emma only needed to ask and Regina would willingly agree to anything.  
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Regina's arm rests on the inside of the blonde's elbow as they walk through the garden. The warm breeze kisses their skin and dance through their long hair. Regina was surprised that the woman asked her to dance, she was surprised as their bodies molded into one another and moved without a bit of hesitance, liked they have done this before. Emma watched her, those green eyes stared in wonder and when Regina would look back they would smile and turn quickly. After seeing the woman stumble she thought that Emma would be uncoordinated but the young woman was graceful and lead her in spins and turns that left her heart fluttering, after the music stopped Regina couldn't stand the thought of that moment being over and just as the woman moves to turn she asks if the blonde wanted to take a walk. Emma releases a breath and nods eagerly.

"I've heard stories about you Princess." Regina says as she breaks the comfortable silence.

"And what stories have you heard?"

"They spoke of your bravery and skill. They spoke of your cunningness and valor. You have never been defeated in battle? It is most impressive but no one has ever spoken of your beauty."

Emma's cheeks redden and glow as the moonlight illuminates her features "Thank you your majesty."

"Are you not afraid of getting hurt?"

"Sometimes." Emma replies with a shrug "but I know myself and trust my instincts. I've wanted to be a knight ever since I was a little girl."

"I wanted to breed horses."

Emma smiles and stops in front of the pond "How does it feel to be Queen?"

Regina lets out a sigh "Ask me again when I've dealt with my first crisis."

Emma chuckles and stares at the brunette. She pulls a strand of brunette hair behind Regina's ear and the tip of her finger slowly grazes the olive skin "You must be proud of yourself. Your father gave you his kingdom. He must trust you."

Regina's cheeks redden at the blonde's intense gaze and she slowly shakes her head "He believes I am the right choice but I am not certain." She turns and sits at the bench in front of the rippling water as a dragonfly buzzes near a lily pad.

"Why not?" Emma sits right beside her.

"I lack something that my father possesses."

"And what is that?"

"I am not sure but I do not think I have it."

Emma stays silent for a moment then reaches out and threads her fingers with the brunettes "You know my father says it's not what you can do that makes you a great leader but how deeply can you love?"

Regina's brow scrunches "What does love have to do with making sure my people are safe?"

Emma smiles as she turns to face the queen completely "Being loved gives you strength, while loving gives you courage. These people love you and because you worry, because you care your love for them will give you the strength and confidence to lead them…to do the unimaginable."

Regina pauses as she stares at the woman's lips. The ache inside her urges her on to touch them. "And what if I do not know what love feels like?" she licks her lips as her voice drops an octave.

"Well then my queen" the back of Emma's hand caresses Regina's cheek. The brown orbs that stared intensely at the blonde's mouth snap up to look into the golden green irises that burst with radiating color "I volunteer myself to be your guide." Emma moves closer until she is a breath away.

"Please…" Regina moans and her eyes slip shut as her lips press against Emma's. Their lips meet softly at first and Regina feels her skin tingle all over but when Emma's mouth parts open and her tongue traces her bottom lip for entrance. Something inside her explodes. As if this is the answer to something she never thought to ask. A moan slips from the back of Emma's throat as the kiss deepens.

It all made sense for some reason these lips that were taking her breath away felt like home.

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A/n: Don't forget to share your thoughts! 

Who's up for some Romancing!?


	12. Chapter 12

Till Kingdom Come

Part XII.

A/N: Apologies about the little hiatus I took. Life happened. So yeah…Hello and Welcome all of the new followers! Thank you everyone for all of the follows and favorites and reviews. I hope you guys enjoy the update.

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There is this moment.

Where the broken pieces of your battered soul mold together to make something new. Those fragmented pieces where you whip your head around and double take because this sense of deja vu is so vivid that denying its recognition; its existence would seem so absurd.

Lips move against one another like the pieces of a puzzle perfectly molding and slipping into place. Emma's teeth nip lightly and tug the brunette's bottom lip towards her. The brunette releases a moan as her body falls closer to those sinful lips. Hands caress smooth skin that shiver to the touch. Fingers tangle into loose tendrils that pour off of shoulders. Oh sweet heaven kisses like this should never exist. They start with soft hesitant touches of skin pressing so soft against velvet, the tingling numbness radiates down the spine cascading through every nerve and jolt back up to the brain sending it into overdrive. The heart pounds, thundering in your chest as your awareness fades, the most simplistic jester of adoration renders you completely useless. You've become a slave to that moment and at this moment the knight's lips held the Queen as its captive.

Emma pulls back needing a breath of air and her heart skips a beat as she watches the Queen's eye lids clasped shut just simply lost in her senses. Slowly awareness trickles in and her lids that hid the most beautiful matching pair of brown eyes flutter open. A tan hand presses against the woman's rapidly beating heart.

Regina has the decency to blush in awareness of her body lacking control as she was lost in her desires; every nerve ending was on fire and wanted the blonde's touch to cool it "Emma I must confess." She swallows thickly as her finger tips traces the blonde's soft jawline "I have never felt as such for another." Her chest rises and falls as lungs fill with oxygen, enriching her body with what the blonde was stealing so easily from her.

Why such honesty? Why was her tongue betraying her and spilling every thought buzzing from her heart? What is it about this woman that makes her want to open up her soul? What is it about the blonde and her gorgeous eyes that make the Queen's insides crumble? Those eyes just watch intensely and express without the need of sound. They speak volumes of things unspoken. They caress and sooth the turmoil inside. Those eyes that shine so bright radiate a love and tenderness unknown to the Queen.

Green eyes connect with the brunette and Regina fights turning away from the intense gaze. Those eyes see her. Those eyes look beyond and know with full understanding that this and they were something more. The blonde shares a nervous smile as her voice breaks "Neither have I" she places her hand on the Queen's and pulls the woman's hand towards her lips. Emma's lips press against the olive skin and Regina feels the sensations pulse everywhere like millions of burning candles.

Regina closes her eyes as a flash of images play in her mind; Emma's hair blowing in the wind as they seem to fly in the air, the ride was too smooth to be on horseback. The brunette's eyes snap open to see the blonde looking intensely at her as if she can look in to her very soul. Fingers pull on the blonde's corset. Lips breathe against one another.

"I know nothing of you but your title knight yet, I feel as though I know everything about you." Regina whispers against the blonde's lips. Emma smiles brightly because she felt the same. The moment her eyes looked upon the older woman. She knew that her place, her reason for being was answered. Emma slips her eyes shut and leans in claiming the lips that breathed life into her soul.  
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Emma slowly paces herself as she walks back to her chambers in Regina's castle. Her family was requested to extend their visit upon the King's request and Queen Snow happily accepted when her daughter was speaking to the newly crowned Queen. The sound of her boots echoed off the stones that flickered, the flames that danced on the wooden torches attached to the wall illuminated the corridor. Her feet moved but her mind was someplace else.

Lost in the moments spent with an angel.

The Queen's voice played in her mind, the Queen's touches still tingled on her skin, and the taste of the Queen's mouth still lingered on her lips. She was lost in her mind and the images that played in them.

Images of another word, another time, images of them.

The more her lips sated the ache they had, the more intense these memories seem to be. Bodies pressed against one another as the smell of salt wafted in her nostrils.

"How was your walk?"

Emma jumped a few steps back as she reached for her small dagger bound to her thigh.

"Be calm child." James soothed as his hands rise up to show that he meant no harm.

"Father…" Emma presses her hand on her chest and closes her eyes. She exhales a breath. "I am sorry, I did not see you." She slides the dagger back into the small sheath.

"It is alright." James moves closer to his daughter "You seemed to be lost in your thoughts. Is everything alright?" his brow lifts in concern.

Emma blushes and follows her father who walks to the balcony next to her chamber. She watches the birds in the horizon fly closer to the full moon. Resting her forearms on the railing she looks over to her father who shares a comforting smile. Licking the dryness before her lips part "How do …When… I mean.." she closes up her mouth from further embarrassment. She releases an irritated breath.

James smiles at his daughter and places his hand on her shoulder giving her a comforting squeeze. Emma relaxes to his touch. "I think I've fallen in love." She breathes out as she shakes her head "I cannot understand it. Did you feel this for mother?" the knight looks over to her king.

James smiles just thinking about the emotions for Snow and his daughter "I knew I loved your mother the moment I saw her. Love is a rarity Emma. It is a gift that we cannot squander. "

"This gift feels like an illness." The blonde grunts as she rubs her stomach, the mere thought of the woman flutters the wings of the butterflies she must has locked inside of her.

James chuckles at the pout forming on his daughter's face. "The Queen is a very beautiful creature." He says in a knowing calm tone.

Emma snaps her neck to look at her father "How did you..?"

"I know you my child." The king smiles warmly "From the moment a sword was placed in your hands you danced around your enemies. You are swift and agile and when you stumbled I followed your gaze. Only something of such beauty could affect you."

Emma slumps her shoulder in defeat. "I cannot describe it but she sees me and I see her."

"Then that is the only understanding that needs to be understood. Love is meant to be shared between two bodies of one soul. No other will know this to be true but you my darling daughter." James presses his hand on his daughter's chest, feeling her rapidly beating heart. "All I have ever wanted was for you to be happy and in order for that to be, you must follow your heart."

Emma places her hand over her father's. Her fierce green orbs water "Does it bother you that she is a w-woman?"

James shakes his head "Who am I to place such judgment? You cannot choose who your heart wants and it truly is pointless to try."

Emma takes a deep breath and releases the nervous fluttering of fear expelling from her body. Her father, whose eyes shined with love and voice soothed with tenderness, loved her. She has had bloody swords pointed at her neck in battle, ferocious dragons blowing fire from above, the scariest situations fell before her and she kept calm with her sword raised high on a steady hand but nothing has ever brought fear than the thought of Snow. She takes a gulp just thinking about her mother. "What do you think Mother will say?" Emma says with uneasy eyes.

James smiles sadly "Snow…mostly likely will not understand at first" he starts and pulls his daughter into his arms, pressing his lips on her temple "You need to understand Emma; she has been planning your wedding since your birth."

The blonde releases a sigh and rests her head on his chest, the soft thudding of his heart comforts her. "I know she wants Prince Baelfire to court me and I know that I will disappoint her when I decline his proposal."

James sighs and pulls his daughter back to look into her eyes "I will speak to your mother. We mustn't worry of these things. We were invited to stay a little longer. Rest now and tomorrow, I will get to meet the beauty who has weakened my best knight." He winks at her and turns to leave.

Emma grins at her father's words. Regina truly was becoming a weakness. She lost all motor function around her. The precious moment spent with the Queen changed the knight. Her softness, her voice, the way she whispered her name. The touches that lingered on her skin. Something about Regina felt familiar, as if they have done this before. Something gnawing at the back of her mind, something warm and comforting like coming home.  
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"Papa…" the soft voice whispers.

King Henry's eyes flutter open as he sits up in his bed. His tired sleep filled eyes look around for the voice calling to him. He shuffles in bed, moving the heavy sheets off his body.

"Papaaaaa…." The sweet voice calls in laughter as he moves closer to the edge.

Henry places his feet on the stone floor and watches the ground ripple in soft waves as he moves closer to the balcony doors. The curtains dance from side to side from the invisible breeze. He feels weightless as if he is in a dream.

Maybe he was dreaming.

Opening the double doors, Henry covers his eyes as the light invades his sight. He blinks wildly and gasps as his surroundings come to focus.

Emma's loft.

Billions of beautiful colors once lost from his mind, the galaxies, and the stars that flickered in the dark heavens meet him again. The warm room where his daughter joined her soul with Emma's. The place where long ago he saw his child once again. The place where he held her tightly as she cried. A place of warm sadness as her soul discovered the evils in the world and the broken dreams of her future. Henry looks over his shoulder and sees his bed chamber to his present connected to the in-between.

But why was he here?

"Papa!" little Henry says as he jumps on Henry's back.

"Sweet child!" the king jumps and looks over his shoulder "What are you doing here?" he pulls the little boy whose eyes mirrored Emma's into his arms. The little boy squeezes tightly around his grandfather's neck as their bodies swing around. "Papa!" little Henry giggles.

The king stops and places the boy back down to his feet and kneels in front of him. "Why are we in the in-between?" he looks around the room, everything is as it was before they crossed over.

"It's the only way I can talk to you."

"Am I dead?"

"No papa! You are not…" little Henry says with a wide grin.

Henry releases a sigh of relief. He wasn't ready to lose his daughter again. He wasn't ready to leave this life behind. "What news do you bring child?"

The bright smile on little Henry's face wavers and he turns his angelic eyes out towards the dark lifeless window. "There are things taking place that cannot happen, this is their only chance, this is the only place we can be a family. You cannot let momma lose mom." his voice cracks making the child look even smaller and fragile.

The king places his hand on the boy's shoulder "But Henry, they found one another, I saw it with my own eyes. Everything is as it should have been."

Henry giggles as he watches a shooting star speed by in the ceiling. Its tail burning with bright oranges diluting to yellows "I know of the beginning and I know of their end." He turns to face his grandfather "They found each other last time papa and the time before that… and yet she still dies." Little Henry's eyes glisten with pain, the tiresome anguish was in his broken voice. "Momma can't die again." He sniffles and wipes his nose with the back of his hand. "We are finally here where magic exists… we are here where I can exist from their true love." The little boy's voice rushes with a slight panic. All of the innocence and mystery that enraptured the King many times before now vanished with the urgency in the child's voice.

"What must I do?" The king asks. Regina, Emma, their love, little Henry are all causes that he has vowed to protect. He followed Regina to hell. He fought demonic creatures like Cora in order to protect that love that he believed to be so precious. He has seen the power of their love and would gladly give his life to ensure its existence.

Little Henry sniffles "They have to marry before…." Emma's hazel green eyes close as the boy is lost in a vision.

"Before what?" the king urges.

Eye lids snap open "Before all is lost…." The young innocence in the child's voice deepens with finality.

"Lost to what Henry!?" the king yells in frustration.

"I have to be conceived before the Queen agrees."

The king rises to his feet in annoyance as he walks away from the small boy.

These riddles.

The short answers that produce more questions "Agrees….? What is Regina agreeing to?"

"No not momma….Grandma."

Henry stops pacing and looks at the boy "What is Queen Snow agreeing to?"

The seriousness in the boy's face softens as he looks at his grandfather. "Pieces Papa." Henry turns and hops up the dresser where he sits crossed legged. "Make sure they marry before grandma agrees, make sure that they have a chance papa or everything would have been in vain."

"Henry please…" he beseeches "Explain what you mean. I don't understand."

The little boy shrugs his shoulders and places the white string around his index finger and whips his wrist forward. The red yo-yo spins away from his hand and rolls down suspended above the floor that still ripples in waves. "It's time to wake up Papa." The young boy smiles as he watches the puzzled looked in his grandfather's eyes as he watches the red yo-yo spin back up against gravity towards his little fingertips.

"Wait!" The King shouts as he sits back up in his bed. The beads of sweat trickle down his face. Brown eyes inspect his chambers. The flames flicked on the last traces of wick on the dying candles. The curtains glowed with slow inches of the rising sun.

The king turns his head towards the knocking on the door.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" the young maid says as she enters the room. "I heard shouting." She looks around and quickly bows before him.

"Yes…" the king's voice cracks. "I am alright. It was just a dream." Henry wipes the sweat with the back of his hand. "Please wake my daughter and tell her that I request her company for breakfast in the gardens." The words of his grandchild echo in his mind. Dream or not, it was a warning. He needed to ensure that Regina and Emma marry. He needed to make sure that their love finally exists and endures. He needed to make sure that little Henry would finally have a chance at life, a chance at true happiness.

"Yes your majesty." The woman bows again and exits the bed chamber.  
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"Regina, my Sweet child." Henry says as he wraps his arm around his daughter's shoulder.

"Good morning father." She smiles in his arms

"Indeed it is my darling."

The brunette gives her father a curious gaze "What are you implying?"

Henry gives her a knowing smile and says nothing as they stroll in the gardens upon his request. They speak of nothing for a while, the King watches his daughter slide her fingers on the white roses blooming. He enjoyed this, moments when his mind wasn't lost in his head, moments where he could enjoy Regina's company. He enjoyed this place because at least here they were together at least here they were in peace…for now.

Regina smiled as she gripped a little tighter on her father's arm. She loved her father. He truly was a great man, a great father and a great King.

The sounds of steal clanking against one another gained the attention of the royals; Regina and Henry walk towards the practice grounds, the fingers that held loosely on her father's arm suddenly tighten.

Emma.

Dear heavens she wore a loose fitting ivory tunic with the arms missing and black ridding breeches, a long sword gripped tightly in her fist. Her ripped arm would move swiftly in the air cutting the wind. The steel slams against James' sword who counters her attack. He pushes her off and swings his own. Movements made so fast that it almost blurred together to a single image but watching closely you can see the intricacy of their steps. Hands and eyes watch intensely. Brows scrunch in concentration. They know each other. They have danced this dance before.

Regina watches in fascination, Emma moved with grace, her body in unison with her mind, powerful swings clashed thunderously against the King's sword. James smiled at his daughter as he blocked the metal nearing his neck, pushing her back a few steps.

Emma stumbles back losing her footing. "Watch it father! I almost took your head!" she grins as her feet move from side to side encircling her father.

"Almost child. There is still fight in your old man." James says as he laughs his body moving in the same fashion.

"Old" Emma chuckles as she prepares for her father's attack.

The sound of a sharp intake of air breaks Emma's concentration. Green eyes soften as she watches the beautiful Queen cover her mouth in horror.

"Fear not my Quee…" the woman's words were cut off as the King drops low and swings his foot, knocking Emma off her feet.

Emma grunts as her back slams to the earth but instead of blue skies she was met with a matching pair of radiant chocolate eyes that stared at her with concern. Her pained brow softens and a smile breaks her face.

"Princess… Emma are you alright?" worry flashed the young queen as her eyes scanned all over the knights body assessing the damage.

"I am better now my queen for my angel is here to save me." Emma's dirt covered hand reaches up to caress Regina's face.

Regina's eyes flutter close, "Emma…." She whispers as her voice breaks " And how does your angel save you?" she asks as her pink tongue slips out to wet her lips.

Emma stares at the woman's mouth with the aching need to pull them closer together "Kiss me…" she breathes. The softness in her voice dances quietly in Regina's ear drums, slowly vibrating the nerve endings throughout her body.

Regina's eyes open as her orbs burn with need. She looks up to see her Father because it wasn't until this moment she realized that they weren't alone. The few times she was with Emma the rest of the world seem to just fade away. Henry was smiling at them and he gives her a small nod. It wasn't until that moment that the panic she felt inside her soul, settle. Her father's acceptance meant everything.

Brown eyes look back down to the knight's beautiful face… the vision of her captivates every inch of her. Emma reaches her hand to the back of Regina's head to pull her closer towards her lips. Lips so close that the static in the space between crackles and sparks.

Emma's eyes slip shut with the last sight she sees is of the queen's smile. Lips touch in a kiss so soft it brings tears to their father's eyes.

A love found once again.

Henry smiles widely and places his hand on James' shoulder "Appears to me that preparations are in order, since we are to be kin soon."

James shares the same warming smile and looks at the lips curling on his daughter's face. "This pleases me greatly your majesty. As a father, I've always worried that my child will never know of Love. It warms my heart that she has finally found it." he quickly turns away needing to give the women some privacy.

"Blessed be they found one another again." Henry says as he looks up to the sky.

"Again?" James repeats and looks at the older man in confusion.

Henry sighs and closes his eyes. His brow furrows a little thinking about the young child's warning. "It's a long story for another time my friend but please follow me… we must prepare for their union. We will unite our kingdoms and our lands will blossom with prosperity by their love." He says as he leads James back towards the castle.  
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Emma's lips part as a small whimper releases from the back of her throat. A sign of relief, a sigh of need, a sigh of happiness, a sigh of sweet surrender. All her life was a series of events all tangled together to culminate to this moment. Her world shifted and aligned with the woman holding her face between her fingertips. There was something so familiar with Regina. Something second nature as her head moves left and Regina moves right that made perfect sense. Her body, their bodies were attune to one another, Emma was the antenna picking up the woman's frequency.

Tan fingers pull on the string wrapped around the blonde hair. The golden strands fall and are combed through by Regina's fingers. Hands thread into sun kissed tendrils pulling the knight closer to her lips.

Those lips made her anew, made her whole. They were the key to it all.

Regina moans as the knights strong hands slide down her lower back pulling their bodies flushed together. Regina's dress rides up her thighs as her legs part to slip in between Emma's thighs. Hips roll and grind pressing closer together in sweet ecstasy.

Oh gods movements done, were done before. Like a memories of a vivid dream blown into fruition.

Regina pulls back first. She smiles softly as Emma's face was still lost in the moment. Golden green eyes flutter open in desire, " My Queen, I beg thee to save me again."

The smile that radiates from Regina's face is so beautiful as her eyes slip shut to touch Emma again.

"I cannot explain it but I feel so connected to you." Emma says in between kisses.

"I concur. The times I am near your presence I feel as if I can breathe. As if a part of me was empty then I look upon your face and feel your skin so close to mine, I am whole once more." Keeping her brown eyes closed, Regina responds as lips press again and again in small kisses.

Emma pulls back with the threat of a smile breaking her face "I feel the same my Queen." She whispers.

The brown eyes flutter open to watch the grin on Emma's face "Have I saved you enough my knight?" she whispers sweetly "Customarily the knight is supposed to save her queen, is she not?" her eyebrow perks up amusement.

"My queen, even princess' need saving."

"Is that so?"

Emma nods eagerly.

Regina smiles again and places a soft kiss on the corner of Emma's lips. She pulls back, her fingers combs some of Emma's hair behind her ear. "Are you truly alright my darling?"

"Nothing but my pride was hurt my queen. Father knows you are my weakness. He was wise to use you to disarm me." Emma lifts her torso up to place a gentle kiss on the Queen's brow.

Regina smiles softly as she crawls back on to her knees "then that is a weakness we must keep secret" she says in a hushed voice.

Emma jumps on her feet. Cleaning her hands on her breeches "You my love, are something not meant to be kept secret" the knight extends her hand towards the woman. Regina smiles and places her hand in Emma's, who helps pull her up.

Regina walks over to the entrance of the grounds; she picks up the sword. The moment her hand touches the hilt: images and flashes illuminate behind her eye lids. "It's been blessed with the waters of the pure. It will protect you. We have to fight whatever hell throws at us." Regina's eyes snap open as she drops the sword from her hand. She breathes rapidly as she looks around in confusion.

"Regina… are you alright?" Emma says as she races towards the brunette's side.

The knight leans over and picks up the weapon. The blade glints in the sun. Emma turns and hands Regina the sword. "Here. Let me instruct you." The knight grins as she pulls her sword from its sheath.

"Instruct?" the queen's brow raises. "Dear princess do you think I am some poor defenseless Queen?" Regina asks playfully.

Emma quickly nods "No your Majesty, I know you are a very strong capable woman who doesn't need rescuing but humor me."

Regina grins and raises the steel before her and pointing it at the blonde's chest. Emma shares the same grin and lifts her own sword.

"Before we start, there are some rules…" Emma starts but is cut off as the Queen swings. Emma blocks and counters.

The mirth that shines in the Queen's eyes is amazing and the blonde is completely side swept by the joy radiating off the woman. The playfulness makes Emma laugh as she blocks the queen's attacks.

Steel clank together with a mixture of laughter. The women dance around one another. Regina moves quickly trying to disarm the brave knight but Emma is quick and swift with her moves.

"Where did you learn how to fight like that!?" Emma says as she stumbles back, trying to catch her breath.

Regina smiles and shrugs. "A lady mustn't reveal all her secrets Princess."  
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Snow flashed a brilliant smile at the stable boy who presented her the reigns to her horse. She had been in an elated mood recently and the source of her new happiness was the budding friendship between her daughter and the new Queen. It has been months since the friendship started and they were invited again to visit the Summerlands.

Snow felt that Regina would be a positive influence on Emma. Regina was not only beautiful but assertive and possessed an impressive political savvy that made her such a popular queen in the short time of her reign. She was respectful but not a push over. She was intelligent and could hold her own against any man but most importantly she did all of these things without losing her femininity. Regina was regal and elegant. Snow could only pray that this relationship helped Emma blossom into the princess Snow had always envisioned her to be. Already Snow could see an improvement in her daughter's mannerisms. Emma had been taking great care to keep her clothes intact and clean of filth, and had taken to letting her long blonde curls flow down her back.

Snow hoisted herself into the saddle and turned her horse towards the meadow. She was going to see her daughter and the queen.  
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Emma stared into Regina's eyes as they laid side by side on a large blanket behind Regina's favorite willow tree near the lake. The smell of earth permeated in the air. The warm breeze made the ground-sweeping branches that hide them from the world dance from side to side.

"I pray for time to stand still. I pray for longer seconds. I pray for longer days." Emma whispered as her fingers pushed back some strands of the brunette's hair. The softness in her voice danced in the queens ear drums. The blonde was afraid that speaking any louder than that would shatter the moment.

"If only my dear, I wish for that more than anything else in this life." Regina moved closer and brushed her lips against the blonde's forehead.

It was an unfamiliar feeling to both of them at how well they easily fit, at how normal their love was, as hands caressed skin with such knowledge and fluency as if they have known each other their whole lives. "I die every time you leave Emma. I cannot bear to watch you go again…" Regina confesses sadly.

"I know my love. It breaks my heart as well but one day soon….we'll be together. One day soon I will call you mine. One day soon the last sight I will see before night falls will be of your beauty and it is that beauty I will wake to."

"I don't understand why is it we have to wait?"

Emma sighs "I need to talk to my mother. I need her to understand that our love is real and true."

"But our fathers believe…let us talk to her tonight after the banquet my love. I am asking you to be my Queen. Surly she must understand that you do not need a prince for your happiness but on of our love."

Emma watches the brown eyes glisten. She was afraid to speak to Snow with the fear of rejection. Yes their fathers knew and approved but something inside Emma needed her mother to also see and believe in them. The knight smiles softly and presses her lips on the tan skin. She would do anything to see the woman she loved so deeply smile. She would go to the stars and back for the woman's happiness "Tonight. We'll tell her tonight." she says with certainty.

A piercing scream tore the women away from each other and into a sitting position. Emma immediately reached for the dagger she kept nearby that became dislodged in their earlier activity. Looking to their left they saw a massive stallion galloping at full speed across the meadow with a terrified woman clinging to his neck.

"That's my mother," Emma breathed in shock. What was Snow doing out here? Emma sighed in slight aggravation that her mother ruined the moment.

Regina stands up first "I'll get her, don't worry." Regina went to her horse and pulled herself into the saddle trying to suppress the chuckle that threatened to escape her throat at the entire scenario. Prodding her horse into a gallop to catch up with Snow, Regina shook her head. Emma had a mixed look of worry and frustration on her face. It didn't take long for Regina to catch up to Snow's horse and align them so that they were parallel.

"Your highness, give me your hand!" Regina called to Snow over the thunder of the horse's hooves pounding on the ground.

"But I'll fall!" Snow shouted back refusing to let go of the horse's neck.

Regina tightens the reins in her fist as she extends her right hand. "Trust me, I will not allow harm to come to you!" her voice was strong and show no signs of insincerity.

Snow bit her lip and reluctantly unwrapped her arm from around the horse and reached out to Regina. Regina quickly grabbed a hold of Snow's arm and pulled her to rest across her saddle. Regina slowed her horse to a halt and allowed Snow to gently slide to stand on her feet.

The Queen immediately collapsed onto her knees to catch her breath. Regina quickly dismounted her horse to check her fellow queen over for injuries.

"Mother, Mother are you alright?" Emma shouted as she came over on her own horse and quickly dismounted to run to her mother's side.

Snow takes big breaths, her hand pressed over her chest trying to steady her pounding heart "Yes my darling, I am alright… just startled. Thank the gods that her majesty came to my rescue." Snow looks over to Regina and smiles in gratitude.

"I am just glad you are alright your majesty." Regina nods with a gentle smile.

"Me too but Mother what were you doing out there?" Emma asks and Regina stares at the queen also wanting to know the same answer.

"I just wanted to join you; after brunch I searched for you in the practice grounds but your father said you and Regina went out for a picnic. You've both been having so many… I was just curious." Snow says absentmindedly as she adjusts her disheveled clothes.

Emma and Regina both blush and smile shyly. Emma clears her throat and Regina speaks first "The castle can get so suffocating at times; I thought that I would show the princess my favorite place. I use to come here often as a girl. Something about the willow trees that I love."

"Emma loves tress as well. In our kingdom there are a patch of great oak trees and as a child I would find Emma climbing them and ruining all her dresses." Snow says with a huff

Emma rolls her eyes and smiles "it is not my fault that you wouldn't let me wear breeches as a girl. You should have known by the seventh dress that I needed better clothing to play in."

"Yes well… I have every right to expect for a princess to act like a princess…please your majesty tell me that you understand?"

Regina smiles and nods "I do agree your majesty. A princess must maintain her femininity…." Her voice cracks as she tries to stifle a giggle when the knight sticks her tongue out "but not all girls are the same. I cannot picture your daughter being any different but herself. It is something that I respect about her on top of her courage and bravery. It is difficult to be taken seriously as a woman but we must commend that the princess has not only won the respect of her men but also gained the ability to be called their equal. That is most impressive and something that I admire." Regina voice softens.

Emma smiles warmly at the summer queen. Snow watches closely at the look shared between the women. She shakes the thought from her mind and sighs softly as they continue to walk back towards the castle.

"Are you ready for tonight's banquet?" Snow asks after some time.

"Yes." Regina sighs "This new treaty with the Easternlands will bring much prosperity to our nations."

"I also think that Prince Baelfire is quite handsome…don't you think Emma?"

Emma growls and shakes her head. Here she goes again pressing the matter of the Prince. "If you are so fond of him…why don't you court him." Emma huffs as she crosses her arms.

"Oh nonsense child… the fates must have been intervening because you have been avoiding every attempt the prince has done to contact you."

"I am not interested. He is arrogant and misogynistic."

Snow waves her hand "He just needs a woman to soften the rough edges."

"No mother."

Snow looks at the Queen with pleading eyes "Regina please tell my daughter that it is time for her to settle down her sword…"

"And what mother? Replace it with a child? You want to watch your daughter stand beside a man who doesn't see me as his equal…" Emma yells as her boots stomp angrily on the earth.

"Emma..." Regina soothes.

The blonde quickly stops and looks over to her lover. She sighs in defeat. "I'm sorry mother but not all unions are happy like you and father. I want a true love and I do not love the Prince. So I beg of thee… Let me find it and stop insisting me with this. I promise when I find someone worthy of my heart. I will tell you." The blonde pleads with her mother.

Snow eyes glisten as she watches her daughter; all she has ever wanted was for Emma to be happy. That is why she agreed to the Prince's proposal for Emma's hand in marriage. Snow nods sadly as she swallows the knot in her throat. Emma will understand that she did this for her.

For her happiness.

"So Princess did you decide what color dress you will wear for tonight's ball?" Regina asks with a mischievous smirk painting her lips as she watches the knight growl in frustration.  
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A/N: Please review and Thanks for reading. I am blessed to have amazing readers like you!


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